Procrastinating...

The first week of school was really, really crazy. I had a pretty good schedule laid out, but then ended up changing it at least 4 times, I think every night I changed something. The final result is working for me though- which is a good thing since the last day to add classes was on Monday! I'm taking World Religions, World Foundations, Anatomy and Physiology 1 (and the lab that goes along with it), Creative Writing, and Nutrition for Young Children. A&P is way more work than I could have imagined, but I'm loving it- so that's good. And Creative Writing was one of those last minute added classes so it'll be great once I'm finally caught up and don't have a mountain of stories to create!
I went to the temple with Laurel last Friday, I think we're planning to make it a habit of going Friday mornings, while Lydia and I are going to make a habit of going on Wednesdays evenings. I love going to the temple so much :)
Devotional yesterday was amazing! I got out of class at 11:15 and I like to either go study in the silent section of the library or the balcony of the I-Center (which is where we meet for Devo.) I figured I might as well just go to the I-Center, even though the balcony is closed until after Devo, since I knew it was going to be a crazy line to get into the auditorium because it always is whenever a general authority comes to speak. My friend Brittany and I somehow managed to end up at the front of the line so we got to sit in the first row! So even though Elder Holland didn't have time to stop and shake people's hands, we were less than 10 feet from him and there's a difference between watching him speak on a screen and in person. I'm so glad he came out to our campus :)
Beyond that I don't have much to say- I'm honestly just procrastinating on my homework because it really isn't easy to just sit down and write a story, it helps when you actually have an idea for one rather than a prompt to follow. Oh well, back to work. Hope you all have a great day!

Summer Recap.

     This summer was great! There was a slight change in plans as I added and changed medications this summer, so I won't leave on a mission for a few more months- which most of you already knew. But back in May I went through the (Portland, OR) Temple :) And as a result I was given the opportunity to work there every Friday evening over the summer! Definitely one of the best experiences of my life. It was disappointing to be asked to wait a few months to leave for Mexico City, but I've really come to know that God has a plan for us and that sometimes he asks us to take a different path to get to the same end goal and that it is always for our benefit. There's a story that I like about a farmer who purchases a run-down farm and while cleaning it up discovers a current bush that had grown too tall and doesn't produce any fruit, so he trimmed it, leaving only short stumps. As he finished he saw a single drop on top of each stump as if it was crying and felt that he heard it say, "How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.” To which he responded, "Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’” (The full story is here, paragraph 12.) I felt like that current bush, but I've reached the point where I'm so thankful that the path I took was changed by one who knows all and knows what I can do, but also the path I need to get there. I've grown so much from this experience, and though it's been difficult, I wouldn't change it for anything!
     In May I got to go visit my friend Allie! It was so great to see her and the areas around where she lives. I think we spent each day I was there visiting a different city. I'm glad I was able to go. :)
     Back in August we took a family trip to Provo for Education Week on the BYU-Provo campus. It was so great! Tuesday-Friday there were hour long classes held starting at 8:30am-8:30pm, and you could go to as many as you wanted! I went to quite a few and took a lot of notes (and to those of you who've asked for a copy- I'm still working on it!) I also got to see my friend Charlotte while we were up there and went to the BYU Creamery with her- it was really good :) And then on the way home we got to visit my Cousin and his family in Salt Lake- I hadn't seen them in almost 3 years because he visits his family for Thanksgiving, while I come home for Christmas.
     I didn't actually do much this summer, but this past week I've been in Rexburg preparing to help the incoming freshman. I helped with Get Connected (our freshman orientation) last semester too, but I was called in last minute so I didn't get to participate in Spirit Conference (the training leading up to orientation) last time. After participating this year though, I'm kind of sad I didn't get to participate in it last semester. It was basically meetings for 2 days, but it was fun and I learned a lot- both about the school and about myself. Last time I was an I-Rep, which is the person behind the scenes that sets up and tears down after activities. This year though, I was asked to be an I-Team leader. So was assigned a partner and we were given a list of 36 incoming new students to lead. I couldn't have done that two years ago! This school is often referred to as a Disciple Preparation Center (DPC). And one of the goals of the school is to create leaders who know how to lead and teach while continuing to maintain high standards in all things. When I got here I blew that off  thinking that was just something that they said to try and get more students or something, but it's really true. In almost every class I've taken, the professors have in some way incorporated a skill that is necessary to leadership. I loved leading and teaching the new students about this campus that I've come to love, there was so much joy that I found in serving them in that way. My testimony of prayer was also greatly strengthened this past week. By Saturday night the only reason I was still able to smile and assist in anything was because many prayers were answered. There really was hardly any time to sleep between meetings/activities and preparing for school this next week, plus I didn't really sleep much prior to or during the drive out here. I know my leaders were praying for us, and we were praying also that we would have the strength and energy to serve the 5000 new students and find the one that we were placed there to serve. And I found that whenever we were preparing or with the students we had so much energy and we could just go, but any down time we had I (and probably others too) just felt completely drained physically and emotionally. Yesterday was our last day with them and so James and I went and bought treats to share with those that had been consistent in showing up to every meeting (well we bought enough for everyone but not everyone showed up.) I'm going to miss a lot of things about this week, but I have every intention of doing it again! In the evening was I-Night, the huge school-wide party the Saturday before school, I generally enjoy it, but I was so tired I spent most of the time there watching my a few of my friends play volleyball. I also spent some time with Allie and some of her friends. At 11 it the activities ended and all the I-Team leaders were in charge of cleaning up- and it's amazing how the service just brought us all back to life! The 200 or so of us got the entire building clean in about half an hour and managed to get home before curfew. And now I'm wondering why my body won't just stop thinking and let me sleep while waiting to go to church here in a few hours. I'm nervous about this semester, but it will be fine- it always is :)