So about right around Halloween Kris and I started haning out with two of our FHE brothers Joe & Derek. Let me tell you these two (though we thought they were a little strange in the beginning) are AWESOME and so so much fun! So the weekend before Thanksgiving we packed up the car and headed out to Star Valley, Wyoming where Derek's parents live. Let me tell you it was the best weekend EVER! Pretty much just a TON of laying around & relaxing but it was great! We also went sledding but there wasnt that much snow so we got a tow rope & were all pulled behind the Suburban! SUPER FUN! Anyway I had to put pictures up. I was so blessed this semester with amazing friends such as Kris, Joe, Derek & Logan. They made this semester probably the best one yet!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Rest of Fall '09
Well I haven’t written since the beginning of the semester so I thought that I’d update everyone on what happened since there was A TON!
Boring stuff first…classes went really well this semester and I enjoyed all of them. I ended up dropping my Spanish class because it was way too hard for my liking and the teacher was a little crazy. So I decided that it would be better to drop it and take it next semester from a teacher who won’t make me hate Spanish. But all of my other classes were really productive and I learned a lot!
So though I was a little reserved about my roommates at the beginning of the semester I absolutely fell in love with Kris, the girl I shared a room with and I love the others dearly as well. We had soo many adventures this semester like…
80's Dance Night!
Emily, Kris, Diane & Me
It took us FOREVER to get this picture!
Hair Dying Parties!
After the dance we walked to Ramires! Its this hole in the wall Mexican place and man is it good!
Boring stuff first…classes went really well this semester and I enjoyed all of them. I ended up dropping my Spanish class because it was way too hard for my liking and the teacher was a little crazy. So I decided that it would be better to drop it and take it next semester from a teacher who won’t make me hate Spanish. But all of my other classes were really productive and I learned a lot!
So though I was a little reserved about my roommates at the beginning of the semester I absolutely fell in love with Kris, the girl I shared a room with and I love the others dearly as well. We had soo many adventures this semester like…
80's Dance Night!
Emily, Kris, Diane & Me
It took us FOREVER to get this picture!Hair Dying Parties!
Kris, Andee & I all decided one Saturday to dye our hair! It was good fun! We had a lot of laughs that day!
It was just Kris, Andee, & I this semester but it was soo much fun! We did it right after we dyed our hair so we went all out with getting dressed up for it & all that jazz! Good music, good friends, good times!
Masked Ball!
The school put on a masked ball and we decided that we would all go together. We were thinking about getting dates but then decided that its WAY more fun to go with just girls so Kris, Diane, Andee and I got ourselves to WalMart got supplies and made masks to match some dresses we already had. It was soo much fun and probably one of the best weekends of the sememster.
We wanted to pose like our personality, worked pretty well I think.
We wanted to pose like our personality, worked pretty well I think.
After the dance we walked to Ramires! Its this hole in the wall Mexican place and man is it good!
Ok soo these nachos look really really nasty but they are the BEST nachos I have ever eaten!
They also have really BIG drinks!
The masks we made.
Girls Nights!
One night we looked up a recipe online and made face masks with acvacados, bananas & yogurt! It felt really really gross when it was on our faces but our skin felt nice afterward! It was a way fun girl night!
David Archuleta Concert!
Kirs & I talked about this the ENTIRE semester! Neither of us had been to a real concert before & we both LOVE David! It was soo soo much fun! We sang & danced & had a BLAST!
I don't know if you can tell but we were SUPER excited for this concert! Highlight of the semester!
Its funny that this was the semester that I really didn't want to come back to Rexburg but I think that I had the most fun & I know that I've grown the more this semester then any other. I am so greatful that I was able to have so many wonderful experiences.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Beginning of Fall 2009
So I really meant to post something this weekend after I’d been to all my classes but for some reason it just didn’t happen. But not much has happened so it won’t be hard to catch up. This fall has started out so different from all of the other semesters because this time I actually miss California. I’ve always missed my family, but I’ve always known that family is never really all that far away but now that I have other friends in California I have more people to miss and for the first time since my very second semester I truly did not want to come back. But as it usually does it has been fine so far.
So first things first; classes. I’m taking 15 credits this semester which is about five classes’ total.
Spanish 102 (4 credits): This is by far the hardest class I will probably ever take for the rest of my life…and it doesn’t help that I ended up taking it from the hardest Spanish teacher on campus. We only talk in English about once every three weeks and one of the two books that we have is only in Spanish. It’s going to take a miracle for me to pass this class with a “C” but I know that if I work hard the Lord will step in where I fall short.
Interpersonal Communications (3 credits): This class is all about learning to communicate with others and good communication skills. It’s going to be pretty awesome. My professor Sister Allred really loves the topic and after just two days I am starting to as well. I have t felt the spirit strong everyday and am so excited to learn more.
Intro to Family Consumer Science (2 credits): This class is for my minor but I am way excited for it. I had the professor Sister Empy before and she is awesome! She makes the class so fun and helps me remember why I choose Home and Family Living as my minor. This class won’t be as fun/ interactive as my other minor classes have been but nonetheless I’m so glad to be back in a class for this subject. It is just as much of a passion for me as Communications is.
Into to Public Relations (3 credits): I am so excited for this class as well. It’s going to be a lot of work but it’s all going to be work that I love! Brother Wythe is the professor and he was a PR major as well so I’m excited to learn from him. He is also younger than most of the professors here which makes the classroom a fun environment.
iComm (1 credit): This is just the same practicum class that I’ve been taking for the past 4 semesters but I’m determined to make it something new and something exciting again. I want to start shadowing my account exec so that next semester I can apply to be an AE and get paid for this class!
Fundamental Scripture Study (2 credits): This class is going to be fun as well. I’m going to be learning how to more effectively study my scriptures which sometimes I feel like I need. Again the teacher is awesome and I can tell that I’m not going to get bored with it.
Another big thing that has changed this semester is my apartment. I moved from Riviera across campus to a place called Mountain Pines. It’s a nice apartment, I do have all new roommates again except this time I’m the “mom” because they are all freshmen. But they are fun girls and I’m sure that I could’ve done worse. My new ward is also full of freshmen boys but I find that that’s ok too for various reasons.
I have already received a call to be the FHE “mom” for my group. I must admit that I was not excited about this. I felt that I already had so much on my plate and this was just one other thing that I has to squeeze on there…but now that the shock has worn off and the bishop last Sunday shook my hand and made sure that they had indeed called me so he wouldn’t announce it without me even knowing said. “We just thought that you’d make your group into the best FHE group in the ward.” I’m sure he was just being nice but it reminded me of the confidence that my Heavenly Father has in me & that He’ll give me a plate big enough to fit all that I have to do on it.
My social life this semester hasn’t been as fast and exciting as it has been in the past but that is probably because I spend every day from about 9am to 8pm on campus in classes and the studying. But that too has been good. I’ve been hanging out with Andee a lot and she has changed so much since we lived together but is still the Andee I love.
My roommates, as I said before, are all freshmen & this was another thing that I was not excited about at all but this weekend I got to hang out a lot with three of them and I feel as though I have been so blessed with the privilege of living with these girls. They are all very sweet and love the gospel with a sweet innocence that I have missed. Friday they half dragged me to Latin dancing but we had so much fun! Then on Saturday I was able to go with the girl I’m sharing my room with, Kris, cliff diving with some of her friends. It was AWESOME!! Lol So much fun & such good people!
And last but definitely not least…Dan Brown. Still no jumping to conclusions please but we talk about every night, which has turned into the highlight of everyday. I do like him a lot but it’s hard because we are so far apart. But in the past 2ish weeks he has become one of my best friends & I am so thankful that Heavenly Father has blessed me to have this man in my life. He’s a stress reliever and my anchor, it seems, to staying sane during this crazy semester!
So first things first; classes. I’m taking 15 credits this semester which is about five classes’ total.
Spanish 102 (4 credits): This is by far the hardest class I will probably ever take for the rest of my life…and it doesn’t help that I ended up taking it from the hardest Spanish teacher on campus. We only talk in English about once every three weeks and one of the two books that we have is only in Spanish. It’s going to take a miracle for me to pass this class with a “C” but I know that if I work hard the Lord will step in where I fall short.
Interpersonal Communications (3 credits): This class is all about learning to communicate with others and good communication skills. It’s going to be pretty awesome. My professor Sister Allred really loves the topic and after just two days I am starting to as well. I have t felt the spirit strong everyday and am so excited to learn more.
Intro to Family Consumer Science (2 credits): This class is for my minor but I am way excited for it. I had the professor Sister Empy before and she is awesome! She makes the class so fun and helps me remember why I choose Home and Family Living as my minor. This class won’t be as fun/ interactive as my other minor classes have been but nonetheless I’m so glad to be back in a class for this subject. It is just as much of a passion for me as Communications is.
Into to Public Relations (3 credits): I am so excited for this class as well. It’s going to be a lot of work but it’s all going to be work that I love! Brother Wythe is the professor and he was a PR major as well so I’m excited to learn from him. He is also younger than most of the professors here which makes the classroom a fun environment.
iComm (1 credit): This is just the same practicum class that I’ve been taking for the past 4 semesters but I’m determined to make it something new and something exciting again. I want to start shadowing my account exec so that next semester I can apply to be an AE and get paid for this class!
Fundamental Scripture Study (2 credits): This class is going to be fun as well. I’m going to be learning how to more effectively study my scriptures which sometimes I feel like I need. Again the teacher is awesome and I can tell that I’m not going to get bored with it.
Another big thing that has changed this semester is my apartment. I moved from Riviera across campus to a place called Mountain Pines. It’s a nice apartment, I do have all new roommates again except this time I’m the “mom” because they are all freshmen. But they are fun girls and I’m sure that I could’ve done worse. My new ward is also full of freshmen boys but I find that that’s ok too for various reasons.
I have already received a call to be the FHE “mom” for my group. I must admit that I was not excited about this. I felt that I already had so much on my plate and this was just one other thing that I has to squeeze on there…but now that the shock has worn off and the bishop last Sunday shook my hand and made sure that they had indeed called me so he wouldn’t announce it without me even knowing said. “We just thought that you’d make your group into the best FHE group in the ward.” I’m sure he was just being nice but it reminded me of the confidence that my Heavenly Father has in me & that He’ll give me a plate big enough to fit all that I have to do on it.
My social life this semester hasn’t been as fast and exciting as it has been in the past but that is probably because I spend every day from about 9am to 8pm on campus in classes and the studying. But that too has been good. I’ve been hanging out with Andee a lot and she has changed so much since we lived together but is still the Andee I love.
My roommates, as I said before, are all freshmen & this was another thing that I was not excited about at all but this weekend I got to hang out a lot with three of them and I feel as though I have been so blessed with the privilege of living with these girls. They are all very sweet and love the gospel with a sweet innocence that I have missed. Friday they half dragged me to Latin dancing but we had so much fun! Then on Saturday I was able to go with the girl I’m sharing my room with, Kris, cliff diving with some of her friends. It was AWESOME!! Lol So much fun & such good people!
And last but definitely not least…Dan Brown. Still no jumping to conclusions please but we talk about every night, which has turned into the highlight of everyday. I do like him a lot but it’s hard because we are so far apart. But in the past 2ish weeks he has become one of my best friends & I am so thankful that Heavenly Father has blessed me to have this man in my life. He’s a stress reliever and my anchor, it seems, to staying sane during this crazy semester!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Summer of Blessings
People say that time flys when you're having fun. For me I have found that time flys even faster when working; but regretfully not in the hour to hour sense but the week to week and month to month sense. It feels like just yesterday I came home from Idaho and now in less then an hour I will make my way up campus to the first class of the Fall 2009 semester. So before the school year offically starts and b/c I am soo bad at posting when Im at home I want to update on my summer.
Its funny to look back and think about how scared I was for this summer. I'd lost my regular summer job at the movie theater, I had no money, and all of my friends were moving out and on which meant finding new ones (a task that frightens me more then almost anything). But, as He always does, Heavenly Father provided the way for me.
By about two weeks into the summer and after TONS of applications Heavenly Father saw fit to bless me with two wonderful jobs. One at the Borders Express in the Lakewood Mall and the other as cashier at our local community pool down the street. At first I am a little ashamed to say that I wasnt really happy about these jobs. I was happy of course to have them and to be getting an income but I was missing the theater and the fimiliarity that it brought. But what I didnt know in the beginning was the real blessing that these jobs would bring (besides the fact that I'd be able to return to Rexburg) was friends.
In previous summers I had pretty much kept to myself and the family ward b/c essentially all I did was work and sleep. But this summer b/c both my jobs only gave me about 20 hours a week and ended at a reasonable hour each night I decided that it was time to make myself enjoy life in California again rather then just endure it. So I forced myself to go to the local El Dorado singles ward and all of their activities. Im definitly not going to lie and say that it was easy, or that everyone was super friendly right from the start. In the beginning it was exactly as I thought it would be. People of course said hi and wanted to know all about me but I could tell I was just the "new meat" to them. It was all I could do to force myself to keep going to the activities that I didnt need an invitation to. But soon there were a select few who became real friends, who made sure I was invited to everything, and that I felt welcome wherever I went. I will forever be greatful to those people and their kindness. I dont think they will ever really know the difference they have made in my life.
The next blessing that came from these jobs was being able to attend the whole of the California YSA confrence. It would be a lie to say that I was excited to attend this two day confrence in Irvine b/c I wasnt but I am so glad that I was able to go. It was probably one of the best parts of the whole summer. It happened the weekend of August 8th & 9th. We had spirtual classes and tons of fun activities including a country line dancing class that was SUPER fun! What I got most out of the weekend though was about out will and alligning our will with the Lords. One of the speakers quoted an apostle (i cant remember which one) who said that our will is really the only truly personal thing that we can give the Lord, everything else we think we are giving Him was already His to begin with and we were just borrowing it. I thought about that a lot over the past month & have come to have a strong testimony of it. I know that I need to better in this area & have been trying very very hard to allign my will with the Lord's and to want what He wants instead of just accepting it.
The third blessing that I want to talk about came late in the summer (but only due to my own stubborness I might add). I met Dan Brown. I first met Dan at a bonfire that the ward had for an FHE. I had brought along a couple friends so that I wouldnt have to go to my very first activity alone one of those friends was Lori. So naturally Dan and his friend John were both flirting away with Lori & not really giving anyone in the circle a second glance. (Im used to this, its really nothing anymore) So even though I thought he was cute I wrote him off as being just like John (who I cant stand). Lori then started dating John & Dan tried to start talking to me. I pretty much blew him off and wanted nothing to do with him by then. Fast forward to the first weekend in August. The church held a state wide YSA confrence (which was SOOO much fun and a whole different story) and during the humanitarian project I kinda got cornered by Dan while I was holding the corner of a quilt and we started to talk. Let me tell you right now...NEVER judge a book by its cover. He was so different then I thought he was going to be and I found myself wanting to be his friend. So for the next week when we were at church we talked and flirted and I found myself liking him more and more. Finnally he asked me out on a date and for the last three weeks of summer we saw eachother everyday, and have talked everyday since I've been here. I dont want anyone jumping to conclusions I am not thinking marraige or anything close to that but I just wanted to thank my Heavenly Father for this wonderful blessing in my life to have a friend like Dan. It is truly an example to me of Heavenly Father knowing exactly what I need when I dont even know what I need.
Caitlyn & Lori: Because of these new jobs I was able to see these girls almost every weekend this summer and I dont know what i would've done if I hadnt been able to. They are my best friends and I am sooo glad that I was able to spend soo much time with them! I learned this summer that I'd forgotten soo many of the blessings Heavenly Father had already given me while I was busy complaining for new ones. I had so much fun with these girls that I can't even begin to write about it! Dances and parties and staying up late just talking about life! Words will never be able to describe how I love them!
The best of all though was that I was able to get so much closer to my family this summer. Usually between work and sleep I barely ever see half of my family all summer but this year I was not only able to spend the time I would have been sleeping with them but even more time b/c of my wonderful brother Matthew who we sent off on his mission to Ghana Africa! We had so many people in & out of our house that its not even funny! Both my mom and dad's side of our family were able to come when Matthew went through the temple and during dinner at our house later that night I felt like I was able to have a glimpse of what the Celestial Kingdom will be like. Everyone happy and laughing and completely surrounded by those who matter most. If everynight in heaven can be just like that one (with the family members that havent arrived yet of course) then i dont think that there's anything I wouldnt do to get there.
So there it is. My summer of blessings. The Lord was very generious and words cant tell how thankful I am to Him for knowing better then I what is the right path and where I need to be.
Its funny to look back and think about how scared I was for this summer. I'd lost my regular summer job at the movie theater, I had no money, and all of my friends were moving out and on which meant finding new ones (a task that frightens me more then almost anything). But, as He always does, Heavenly Father provided the way for me.
By about two weeks into the summer and after TONS of applications Heavenly Father saw fit to bless me with two wonderful jobs. One at the Borders Express in the Lakewood Mall and the other as cashier at our local community pool down the street. At first I am a little ashamed to say that I wasnt really happy about these jobs. I was happy of course to have them and to be getting an income but I was missing the theater and the fimiliarity that it brought. But what I didnt know in the beginning was the real blessing that these jobs would bring (besides the fact that I'd be able to return to Rexburg) was friends.
In previous summers I had pretty much kept to myself and the family ward b/c essentially all I did was work and sleep. But this summer b/c both my jobs only gave me about 20 hours a week and ended at a reasonable hour each night I decided that it was time to make myself enjoy life in California again rather then just endure it. So I forced myself to go to the local El Dorado singles ward and all of their activities. Im definitly not going to lie and say that it was easy, or that everyone was super friendly right from the start. In the beginning it was exactly as I thought it would be. People of course said hi and wanted to know all about me but I could tell I was just the "new meat" to them. It was all I could do to force myself to keep going to the activities that I didnt need an invitation to. But soon there were a select few who became real friends, who made sure I was invited to everything, and that I felt welcome wherever I went. I will forever be greatful to those people and their kindness. I dont think they will ever really know the difference they have made in my life.
The next blessing that came from these jobs was being able to attend the whole of the California YSA confrence. It would be a lie to say that I was excited to attend this two day confrence in Irvine b/c I wasnt but I am so glad that I was able to go. It was probably one of the best parts of the whole summer. It happened the weekend of August 8th & 9th. We had spirtual classes and tons of fun activities including a country line dancing class that was SUPER fun! What I got most out of the weekend though was about out will and alligning our will with the Lords. One of the speakers quoted an apostle (i cant remember which one) who said that our will is really the only truly personal thing that we can give the Lord, everything else we think we are giving Him was already His to begin with and we were just borrowing it. I thought about that a lot over the past month & have come to have a strong testimony of it. I know that I need to better in this area & have been trying very very hard to allign my will with the Lord's and to want what He wants instead of just accepting it.
The third blessing that I want to talk about came late in the summer (but only due to my own stubborness I might add). I met Dan Brown. I first met Dan at a bonfire that the ward had for an FHE. I had brought along a couple friends so that I wouldnt have to go to my very first activity alone one of those friends was Lori. So naturally Dan and his friend John were both flirting away with Lori & not really giving anyone in the circle a second glance. (Im used to this, its really nothing anymore) So even though I thought he was cute I wrote him off as being just like John (who I cant stand). Lori then started dating John & Dan tried to start talking to me. I pretty much blew him off and wanted nothing to do with him by then. Fast forward to the first weekend in August. The church held a state wide YSA confrence (which was SOOO much fun and a whole different story) and during the humanitarian project I kinda got cornered by Dan while I was holding the corner of a quilt and we started to talk. Let me tell you right now...NEVER judge a book by its cover. He was so different then I thought he was going to be and I found myself wanting to be his friend. So for the next week when we were at church we talked and flirted and I found myself liking him more and more. Finnally he asked me out on a date and for the last three weeks of summer we saw eachother everyday, and have talked everyday since I've been here. I dont want anyone jumping to conclusions I am not thinking marraige or anything close to that but I just wanted to thank my Heavenly Father for this wonderful blessing in my life to have a friend like Dan. It is truly an example to me of Heavenly Father knowing exactly what I need when I dont even know what I need.
Caitlyn & Lori: Because of these new jobs I was able to see these girls almost every weekend this summer and I dont know what i would've done if I hadnt been able to. They are my best friends and I am sooo glad that I was able to spend soo much time with them! I learned this summer that I'd forgotten soo many of the blessings Heavenly Father had already given me while I was busy complaining for new ones. I had so much fun with these girls that I can't even begin to write about it! Dances and parties and staying up late just talking about life! Words will never be able to describe how I love them!
The best of all though was that I was able to get so much closer to my family this summer. Usually between work and sleep I barely ever see half of my family all summer but this year I was not only able to spend the time I would have been sleeping with them but even more time b/c of my wonderful brother Matthew who we sent off on his mission to Ghana Africa! We had so many people in & out of our house that its not even funny! Both my mom and dad's side of our family were able to come when Matthew went through the temple and during dinner at our house later that night I felt like I was able to have a glimpse of what the Celestial Kingdom will be like. Everyone happy and laughing and completely surrounded by those who matter most. If everynight in heaven can be just like that one (with the family members that havent arrived yet of course) then i dont think that there's anything I wouldnt do to get there.
So there it is. My summer of blessings. The Lord was very generious and words cant tell how thankful I am to Him for knowing better then I what is the right path and where I need to be.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Life is Looking Pretty Darn Good!
Sooo since my last post I've gotten TWO jobs!!! One is at the Borders Express bookstore in the Lakewood Mall and the other is with the city working as a cashier for one of the city pools! Im am so totally stoked about both jobs. But I was thinking. Isn't it funny how these blessings didn't come until after my last post when I decided to stop being all mopey. It reminds me of how the scriptures say "After the tiral of faith; then cometh the reward." (I don't think thats exactly what it says but something like that) But boy did Heavenly Father reward me with these jobs.
Borders Express...well let me tell you its prefect. Its only going to be about 20-30 hours a week and its only $8.00 an hour BUT the manager is Mormon!! Which means once again I have been blessed with a job where I do not have to fight every week to get Sundays off AND because she understands the importance of education the fact that Im leaving in September to go back to Idaho didn't scare her off in hiring me!
The City Job...This job as well I don't have to work on Sundays because...they're closed!! How great is that!?! But at this job I should get at least 35 hours a week and its $11 an hour!! Woo Hoo!!
And you want to know the best part about all this? Even though I could be working about 50ish hours a week I will still get off by 9pm!!!! At the latest!! How awesome is that!?! At the theater we were lucky if we got off by midnight at the earliest! Now I can have friends!!! And actually do stuff with them!!
Anyway...I was just excited and wanted to publicly express thanks to Heavenly Father for giving me soo many blessings this week!
Borders Express...well let me tell you its prefect. Its only going to be about 20-30 hours a week and its only $8.00 an hour BUT the manager is Mormon!! Which means once again I have been blessed with a job where I do not have to fight every week to get Sundays off AND because she understands the importance of education the fact that Im leaving in September to go back to Idaho didn't scare her off in hiring me!
The City Job...This job as well I don't have to work on Sundays because...they're closed!! How great is that!?! But at this job I should get at least 35 hours a week and its $11 an hour!! Woo Hoo!!
And you want to know the best part about all this? Even though I could be working about 50ish hours a week I will still get off by 9pm!!!! At the latest!! How awesome is that!?! At the theater we were lucky if we got off by midnight at the earliest! Now I can have friends!!! And actually do stuff with them!!
Anyway...I was just excited and wanted to publicly express thanks to Heavenly Father for giving me soo many blessings this week!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thoughts from the past few days...
Well I've been home for abourt twoish weeks now and I still don't have a job but its been great. The past few days espeically.
Wednesday (4/22/09)Stephanie invited me to come to institue with her and it was awesome!! It was really nice to be in a religion class again. Its something I've always missed during the summers since I get to take one every semester up in Idaho. We talked about the Thessalonians and Paul's epistle to them. One thing that stuck out to me was in chapter one verus six. Its says...
And I was thinking that like the Thessalonians all members of the church (weather at baptism or the time or true conversion) came into the church with joy of the Holy Ghost and the Gospel. And I feel like as of lately I haven't been really atune to that joy as I once was. And coming back to that joy and being happy with just life in general (not only in public but in private as well) is something I need to work on.
Thursday night I went to the LA Temple!! I feel as though I havent been there in ages...well inside at least. I went with Stephaine and Sister Monroe who did a session while I got to do baptisims. I know Stephanie felt bad that I was alone there and they both felt bad that I had to wait for them afterwards but I want them both to know that it is perfectly fine...more then fine really. It was great to be able to be alone in there and have time away from everyone and everything to just reflect and spend some time with my Father in Heaven.
I learned a lot about myself in those three hours and that there is a lot I need to repent for and fix before I can move forward with my life and I plan to start now (or I planed to start Thursday).
Something specific that I thought about while I was in there is prayer and how important it is to not only constantly say prayer but have them be meaningful. I think beacause I can't see Heavenly Father there while I talk to Him I sometimes forget that He is there and so I just say short, redundant prayers. But He is there and He does care and although He already knows whats going on in our lives it doesn't mean that He doesn't want to hear about them from us. I could quote so many scriptures about prayer but I think that it would be more benifical to you as the reader to go look them up on your own and let The Spirit guide you to the one that will help you most to gain/ strenghten your own testimony of prayer.
Another thing I thought about and that the three of us girls talked about a little on the way there was not giving up on people just because we think they are too far gone to ever come back or be interested in the church. Of course my mind immediately went to Mike. For those of you who don't know Mike, his and my story is a long and complicated one that I don't really have the desire to go into but know that he is inactive in the church and since the day I met him two years ago I have known that he is a good man who has a testimony of the gospel even though he may not really know that he has one and isn't willing to give up his lifestlye yet. But anyway, I was thinking of him and how much I would love for him to come back to church and I want him to know that there are people in the gospel (other then his mother) who still care about him and know that this is the right path and want him to come back to it. But since we don't really talk anymore I don't know how to bring it up.
Friday was fun. Katie (my little sister) had a festival with her singing group so Matthew and I went to watch her and then we went with her class to Knotts Berry Farm. It was super fun to be with my brother and sister all day. We had a blast going on all the rides and laughing and freaking out together. I counted and I haven't been to Knotts since my senior year of high school, which was three years ago now (man I feel old), when I went with Victor (my boyfriend back then) and some friends instead of going to the Sadies dance. And as I thought about the past and all the things I have been through (which looking back haven't been as hard as they seemed at the time) it was nice to think about the people who really mattered and the to be able to look on either side of me and see that two of those people were still with me (hence they are the people who matter).
Then Caitlyn called and about two hours after I got home she was at my house and we were of to a birthday party for some guy we didn't know, on his PRIVATE BEACH!! haha It was so so so much fun!! I love love LOVE Caitlyn!!! Justin Altier was there but he was like the ONLY person I knew there (well the only one that knew me as well The Nitta boys were there as well) So we danced and had fun and then the cops came and shut it down saying we were too loud even though it was a dry party. But that was ok. The best part was being with Caitlyn and catching up. We are going to the next Hunington Beach dace together and I am sooo stoked.
Today (Saturday 4/25/09) we all got up early (which was a task in and of itself beacuse I was like dead) and went to the Lakewood Service Day/ Mormon Helping Hands. We went to an old mans house and took care of the jungle that was his back yard. I wasn't very excited about this as I got up this morning but I guess the scriptures are right when they say that service makes you happy because we were all pretty happy while we were working together.
Again today (as I was over christmas break) I was struck by the love I feel for my ward family. Some I am sad to say I don't know as well as I would like, seeing as I live up in Idaho for about seven months of the year but those that I do know well I have come to love as if they were a part of my own family. I can't quote it but it reminds me of the talk that President Eryring gave in the October 2008 confrence about unity. Thats how I feel about my ward family, especially on days like today when we are all working together...but then again we are all always working together to build the Kingdom of God.
Anyway, now that this entry has turned into a novel. I'll let you go back to what you were doing but I want you to know how much I love this Gospel that I have been blessed to be a part of. I love my family and I love my friends who feel like family most of the time. While I was in Rexburg I was a little bummed to be coming home because I thought that I had nothing to come home to. How untrue that was and how soon we forget the blessings the Lord has given us. I pray I never again forget how much I love my Lakewood and how great it is being here.
Wednesday (4/22/09)Stephanie invited me to come to institue with her and it was awesome!! It was really nice to be in a religion class again. Its something I've always missed during the summers since I get to take one every semester up in Idaho. We talked about the Thessalonians and Paul's epistle to them. One thing that stuck out to me was in chapter one verus six. Its says...
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having recieved the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
And I was thinking that like the Thessalonians all members of the church (weather at baptism or the time or true conversion) came into the church with joy of the Holy Ghost and the Gospel. And I feel like as of lately I haven't been really atune to that joy as I once was. And coming back to that joy and being happy with just life in general (not only in public but in private as well) is something I need to work on.
Thursday night I went to the LA Temple!! I feel as though I havent been there in ages...well inside at least. I went with Stephaine and Sister Monroe who did a session while I got to do baptisims. I know Stephanie felt bad that I was alone there and they both felt bad that I had to wait for them afterwards but I want them both to know that it is perfectly fine...more then fine really. It was great to be able to be alone in there and have time away from everyone and everything to just reflect and spend some time with my Father in Heaven.
I learned a lot about myself in those three hours and that there is a lot I need to repent for and fix before I can move forward with my life and I plan to start now (or I planed to start Thursday).
Something specific that I thought about while I was in there is prayer and how important it is to not only constantly say prayer but have them be meaningful. I think beacause I can't see Heavenly Father there while I talk to Him I sometimes forget that He is there and so I just say short, redundant prayers. But He is there and He does care and although He already knows whats going on in our lives it doesn't mean that He doesn't want to hear about them from us. I could quote so many scriptures about prayer but I think that it would be more benifical to you as the reader to go look them up on your own and let The Spirit guide you to the one that will help you most to gain/ strenghten your own testimony of prayer.
Another thing I thought about and that the three of us girls talked about a little on the way there was not giving up on people just because we think they are too far gone to ever come back or be interested in the church. Of course my mind immediately went to Mike. For those of you who don't know Mike, his and my story is a long and complicated one that I don't really have the desire to go into but know that he is inactive in the church and since the day I met him two years ago I have known that he is a good man who has a testimony of the gospel even though he may not really know that he has one and isn't willing to give up his lifestlye yet. But anyway, I was thinking of him and how much I would love for him to come back to church and I want him to know that there are people in the gospel (other then his mother) who still care about him and know that this is the right path and want him to come back to it. But since we don't really talk anymore I don't know how to bring it up.
Friday was fun. Katie (my little sister) had a festival with her singing group so Matthew and I went to watch her and then we went with her class to Knotts Berry Farm. It was super fun to be with my brother and sister all day. We had a blast going on all the rides and laughing and freaking out together. I counted and I haven't been to Knotts since my senior year of high school, which was three years ago now (man I feel old), when I went with Victor (my boyfriend back then) and some friends instead of going to the Sadies dance. And as I thought about the past and all the things I have been through (which looking back haven't been as hard as they seemed at the time) it was nice to think about the people who really mattered and the to be able to look on either side of me and see that two of those people were still with me (hence they are the people who matter).
Then Caitlyn called and about two hours after I got home she was at my house and we were of to a birthday party for some guy we didn't know, on his PRIVATE BEACH!! haha It was so so so much fun!! I love love LOVE Caitlyn!!! Justin Altier was there but he was like the ONLY person I knew there (well the only one that knew me as well The Nitta boys were there as well) So we danced and had fun and then the cops came and shut it down saying we were too loud even though it was a dry party. But that was ok. The best part was being with Caitlyn and catching up. We are going to the next Hunington Beach dace together and I am sooo stoked.
Today (Saturday 4/25/09) we all got up early (which was a task in and of itself beacuse I was like dead) and went to the Lakewood Service Day/ Mormon Helping Hands. We went to an old mans house and took care of the jungle that was his back yard. I wasn't very excited about this as I got up this morning but I guess the scriptures are right when they say that service makes you happy because we were all pretty happy while we were working together.
Again today (as I was over christmas break) I was struck by the love I feel for my ward family. Some I am sad to say I don't know as well as I would like, seeing as I live up in Idaho for about seven months of the year but those that I do know well I have come to love as if they were a part of my own family. I can't quote it but it reminds me of the talk that President Eryring gave in the October 2008 confrence about unity. Thats how I feel about my ward family, especially on days like today when we are all working together...but then again we are all always working together to build the Kingdom of God.
Anyway, now that this entry has turned into a novel. I'll let you go back to what you were doing but I want you to know how much I love this Gospel that I have been blessed to be a part of. I love my family and I love my friends who feel like family most of the time. While I was in Rexburg I was a little bummed to be coming home because I thought that I had nothing to come home to. How untrue that was and how soon we forget the blessings the Lord has given us. I pray I never again forget how much I love my Lakewood and how great it is being here.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
What A Week
This week has been the very definition of what it means to be a college student. I think I've spent about 10 hours a day in the library. Yuck!
For my Visual Media class I had to design three logos, stationary, and a business card for a company of my choice. I did mine for Bobby's (my brother in law) mother Marcia. She's an artist and paints amazing and very unique pictures of LDS temples. Bobby set up a website for her called paintingsofldstemples.com but that name was too long to use so I just put Marcia Johnson Paintings. It won't let me upload that to wear it'll look nice sooo use you imaginations. lol
I also had a Spanish oral interview Thursday and a test on Friday. Spanish continues to be the hardest class I have ever taken but somehow I finally feel like I'm getting at least half of what Hermana Hamblin says in class. Its funny in high school I couldn't have cared less about spanish but now (and Im pretty sure it's because I have a teacher who cares) I love it!
For Mass Media I had to create new blog (see previous entry and go check it out) which wasn't that hard but it took a lot of time because I wanted to get it right. Im actually pretty excited about it and will for sure continue it just because it'll be fun to finally get all the funny/sad/maddening stories that I had stored in my brain out there in the open.
This weekend Ashton, Janeen and Heather all left us to go various places outside of Rexburg but Friday night we had a lot of fun. Kristin, Kendra, Kevin and I went Bowling at The Rex! It was great. Kevin hasn't hung out with us much because he had a new girl so it was awesome to hang out with him! (pictures are coming soon)
AND Stephanie got her MISSOIN CALL!!! It's soo exciting!! Im soo happy for her! She's going to be an amazing missionary! I'm so proud of her and all the things she has done to get this far. She is the best friend a girl could ask for and I have been sooo sooo blessed to have her in my life.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Life from Inside a Movie Theater
I've started another blog for one of my classes! Its going to be a really fun silly one about my experiences at the movie theater where I work during the summers! Go check it out!!!
http://lifefrominsidethemovies.blogspot.com/
http://lifefrominsidethemovies.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Laser Tag
So last night Ashton, Karl, Kristin, Kendra, Sterling, Jeremy, Matthew and I went to Idaho Falls and played Laser Tag! It was way fun! Its at this place called Blast Off. They have a play place for the little kids, arcade, black light mini golf, laser tag and then phaser tag (pretty much its paint ball in the laser tag arena and w/ black lights) Well we played two ten minute games. The first one we lost b/c the otehr team were babies and took two of our players but we won the second game! It was awesome! And guess who got the highest score for the second game! Me thats who!! Whoot!!!
Well after we played we went out to Chill's and my dear brother bought me dinner. I love him! I don't know what I'm going to do when he leaves for his mission. Its been away fun having him here and its going to be hard to go back to not having him close all the time. Anyway It was a great night! Here are some pictures...
Well after we played we went out to Chill's and my dear brother bought me dinner. I love him! I don't know what I'm going to do when he leaves for his mission. Its been away fun having him here and its going to be hard to go back to not having him close all the time. Anyway It was a great night! Here are some pictures...
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