Spring Fun!!!

My roommates Julie, Michelle, and I at Guitars Unplugged!

A decision that will change my life...

And no, I am not getting married.

So off and on over the past year my mind has wondered over the idea of serving a mission. Well, that is no longer just an idea... It became a fact just after this last April General Conference. Some of the talks really influenced my decision;

Elder Johnson, in the Sunday Morning session, said, "Growth cannot come by taking the easy way."

Elder Chirstofferson, in the Sunday Afternoon session, said that we need to willingly accept and receive direction/correction from the Lord.

And Elder Uchtdorf in the Sunday Morning session said, "God hears and answers the prayers of His children"

Through these talks the idea of going on a mission solidified. And then the Tuesday after General Conference I was on Temple Square, after having done baptisms for the dead. There were several sister missionaries walking around and I stopped a companionship to ask them what made them decide to serve a mission. I can't exactly remember what they said, but I do know that what they said helped me to fully decide to go on a mission.

Just this last week I started filling out my mission papers. I am so excited to be able to go out and preach the Gospel to the world. I am taking a mission prep class this semester and it is by far my favorite class that I am taking. I can submit my papers in the end of June and should, hopefully, be getting my call in the beginning of August!

Pictures of my adventure...

I finally found time to load these pictures: enjoy!

"Photo shoot" on my day off when Camille and I were stuck at Jacob Lake Inn:

Camille and I

Camille and I

Red Cliffs Recreation Area in Leads, Utah:

I had fallen in the creek and gotten my shoes all wet.

Nichole, Julia, and Me.

Julie, Nichole, and Me.

Snow Canyon: Three Ponds Trail:

Ruth and Me.

Hiking barefoot in the sand.

Me, Nichole, and Julia.

Did baptisms in the St. George Temple.

Zion National Park:

The Riverside Walk:

Julia, Nichole, Ana, and Me.

Camille, Megan, and Me.

Eating a Cliff bar on a cliff!

Huge frozen waterfall!

Megan, Me, Camille, and Ruth.

Zion National Park Visitors Center.

Me, Ruth, Camille, and Megan.

Angels Landing Hike:

Not even half of the hike up to Angel's Landing. This part being the easiest.

On top of Angel's Landing!!

Ruth, Me, Camille, and Megan.

On top of Angel's Landing!!

Camille, Megan, Me, and Ruth.

The last section of Angel's Landing.

Ruth, Megan, Me, Camille.

At the very start of the Angel's Landing hike.

Camille, Me, Megan, and Ruth.

Climbing a part of Angel's Landing.

Me and Camille.

The neck of Angel's Landing.

Angel's Landing!

A New Adventure

This winter, starting January 1st and going to March 25th, I have been working at Jacob Lake Inn in Arizona. Jacob Lake Inn is a tourist place for people who are going to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately the North Rim is closed until May 15th so I have yet to see it. Here at the lodge we get many tourists who are either passing through or wanting to see the North Rim. I have really enjoyed meeting people from all around the world! I have met people from: all over the U.S., Australia, France, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, South America, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, and Thailand! I love meeting the people from all over the world and getting to hear them talk about where they are from.

On days off, which is one day a week, we (the people I have my day off with) usually go hiking and to St. George, Utah. I have gone to Zion Nation Park, Snow Canyon, and the Red Cliffs Recreation area in Utah. I have loved every one of these places and have enjoyed the beauty of nature that is everywhere around me and also for the serenity and peace that being in nature brings. I have come to a realization of the beauty of the world that I live in and for that wonderful miracle that the Lord has blessed us with; the miracle of the beauty that surrounds us... all we have to do is look around us.

There are 5 others working here at Jacob Lake Inn. 4 of those 5 also go to BYU-Idaho. I have become very good friends with them and am glad for the experience if only for the friendships that I have made here. The work that I do at the Inn is pretty much everything that you can possibly do; I am the receptionist for the office (answering phone calls, taking reservations, and filing), I am the cashier in the store, the salesperson in the gift shop, the waitress for the restaurant, the cook for the restaurant, and last but not least the housekeeper for the hotel and motel. I really enjoy working in the gift shop and learning about all of the Native American things that we sell there.

There have been some pretty good times while working here at Jacob Lake Inn, but I am glad to be going home. Lately things have not been so good and I am glad for a change, and to be going back home and back to school. I will post pictures when I have good internet that won't take five years to get them loaded.

A Change of Senery

Fall 2010 semester has officially started. I am now a sophomore in college and am loving the college experience, minus the homework. I am living in Royal Crest with my cousin Hayley Yates. I am having so much fun and am so glad that Hayley is up here with me.

I was originally taking 17 credits, but was feeling a teeny, tiny bit stressed out so I dropped one of my classes and am now down to only 14 credits. I am feeling a lot better! I am taking an Early Elementary Field Experience class, where I get to go and help out at an elementary school. I am also taking Elementary Geometry, Personal Health and Wellness, English(critical thinking/writing), Book of Mormon 2, and Motivation and Management.

My roommates are all really great people. Although it has taken a while to adjust to them and get to know them. Unlike the other apartments I have been in, this apartment has been the hardest one to adjust to and bond with my roommates, excluding Hayley! :) In fact, I was having such a hard time that I got homesick again. A sophomore! and I'm homesick!!! I couldn't believe it! But I'm better now, and have gotten to know my roommates better.

My ward seems like a great ward. Everyone is really friendly and nice. I have met several people and they are all really nice. Tomorrow we are having FHE at the Bishops house, which I have never had happen in my other wards. The Bishopric is very nice and they want to get to know every member in the ward; I like that about this Bishopric, it makes it seem more like home.

Wonderful 4th of July weekend

I was able to go home for the 4th of July weekend! We had school of on the 5th so I had a three day weekend. I had a lot of fun with my family, and it was nice to get a break from school before I start studying like crazy for finals.

I didn't get home until late Friday night. On Saturday I finished up my homework and rode Daybreak; it is always nice to be able to ride when I go home, I never thought I would say this... but I miss riding and sometimes I wish that I could ride everyday. But I can't so I just have to get used to it and take advantage of it when I am at home. Evan did a fireworks show in our driveway while my mom, my dad, Micaela, and I watched.

Sunday I got to spend the whole day at home and not have to leave back for Rexburg at 3pm, which was really nice. I was able to write to one of my friends who is on his mission and I got to spend time talking to my mom and playing kickball with the family.

I didn't leave on Monday until 6:00pm and so my family and I went to Salt Lake for the day. We went to the new Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy, Utah. It was really cool there, we got to touch/pet stingrays, starfish, and a few other creatures. We also got to see penguins, an octopus, jelly fish, and sharks! It was really cool.

At The Living Planet Aquarium.

My ride was picking me up in Salt Lake by the Conference Center, so we spent the rest of the day on Temple Square. We took a tour of the Conference Center; we went up on the roof and got the see the 'garden' that was there and also the waterfall, we also got to see the hall of the Prophets and the pictures of all of the Apostles that have ever been. We also got to go to the very front of the auditorium where conference is held; it was pretty cool.

We then went to the South Visitors Center and looked at the new exhibit of the Salt Lake Temple, I really liked that. Then we went and took a tour of the Beehive House, which was the house that Brigham Young built and lived in. I love that house! It is so cool and just amazing. We took some pictures of the family, all except for Kelly because he went to Montana for the weekend.The Family on the Lawn in the backyard of the Beehive House.

I am now back at school with only 2 weeks left. I am very excited for the semester to be over with and to have a little break from all the homework and studying. But life is great and I am really enjoying most of my classes; especially my education classes! They are so much fun (I even like my education math class! Surprising I know!). I can't wait until I get to go to an elementary school next semester!