Wednesday, April 30, 2014

And just like that...


I don't know how it happened, but freshman year is over! Sitting here at home, I seriously can't believe it.  It felt like I blinked and it was ending.  It was so much fun though!  I can honestly say that I would go back and do it the exact same way.  The friends I made are the best I've ever had, the memories from this year will stay with me forever.  Here are some (a ton) pictures from my last few days!

I had the amazing opportunity to take a Missionary Prep class from Bradley Wilcox!  I learned so much from his class.  He will have an impact on me throughout my entire mission!  I was so sad for it to end.  


Finals week. Sara, Cady, and I were on our way to the library but didn't quite make it because it was just SO BEAUTIFUL outside! We had to lay in the grass for awhile.  

This is my friend Kit!! Auburn and Destiny gave her a rocking make over. Isn't she beautiful? 

I worked at the Cannon Center this semester as the cashier!! I got to swipe everybody's cards. 

Though it wasn't much compared to Cedar Point, we had a blast at Lagoon the Saturday of finals week! 

One of my favorite parts about Provo is the cute little food places they have around.  Waffle Love was so good.

….. 

My last vending machine run!

And of course BOTH of my bags were too heavy, so we had to do some switching around outside the airport… Oops! 

Leaving these girls was so hard ):  We were all bawling in the airport.  I love Cady and Erica! 

Ugh, so sad to be flying away from these beautiful mountains.



Well, even though my life has slowed down immensely, I'm still happy as can be!! I can't believe my freshman year is over.  I couldn't have asked for better friends or memories. Its great being home with my family, and I still talk to my BYU friends pretty much every day. Grama is here visiting and I'm keeping myself busy preparing for the Philippines! 

Life is good!

Sunday, April 20, 2014

My Sisters of Freshman Year



Today was the last Sunday I had with my Relief Society.  Each one of the girls in my hall had such a big impact on me over the past year.  All of them have so many amazing qualities that I have been able to learn from.  I wouldn't trade the memories I've made with them for anything in the world.  From the ridiculously late nights, to the birthday celebrations, to the wonderful experiences at church on sunday, this year was unforgettable.  

Audrey is so wonderful.  She is so beautiful and such light in our hall.  Her sister is serving in the Philippines too, and so I feel like we are bonded forever.  She is always around to do something fun and to listen when I need to talk.  
Kate is seriously the biggest sweetheart.  I couldn't imagine her ever getting angry or saying a bad word against anybody.  She is brilliant, and such a hard worker.
Karisa is our RA and she is a blast!  I always know that I can go to Karisa for anything. Even if it was 4 am, I know that she is always there to help me out.
Morgan totally adorable. I always see her come out to the hall and check out her cute outfits in the mirror before she leaves.  She is so kind and was always fun to see at the football and basketball games as a cheerleader!
Kennedy is one of my favorite people I've met this semester!  She is so comfortable in her own skin and her crazy attitude always makes everybody laugh and smile.
Emilie might be a little quiet, but she has the biggest heart.  I always see her smiling and being kind to those around her.
Lizzie! Liz always makes me so happy when I run into her (:  She is hilarious and someone I am so comfortable talking to about anything.
Oh my goodness, Destiny seriously makes my heart smile. All she has to do is walk into the room and my mood turns to instant joy.  She is always happy and has a genuine love for everyone around her. I don't know what I'm going to do without her hugs.
McKenna is probably one of the most beautiful people I know both inside and out.  Despite her absolutely stunning appearance, she does not put herself above anyone.  She is so much fun to talk to and is such an example of kindness and purity.
Joshlin is so so much fun to be around.  She is always being a total goof and making everybody around her happy.  My favorite memory of Joshlin was when she performed for the ward talent show.  She is an amazing and absolutely hilarious speaker.  Studio C-sign Joshlin up!
Awee, I can't even say Kealani's name without smiling! Anybody that meets Kealani instantly falls in love with her sweet spirit.  She makes me laugh so hard and is so generous with her free candy outside of her door for everyone.
Tiffany is the bomb.  She is a little soft spoken but seriously is the life of the party!  She loves her gangster music and is almost always smiling.  Some of my best memories from this year were spent with this girl!
CADY LADY! Cady has become one of my best friends this year.  Her light and integrity have strengthened so many girls in our hall this year.  I love her so much because she's always looking to have fun, but she won't lower her standards for anyone or anything.
Nat probably doesn't know how much of an effect she's had on me this year. She is such a strong person with an amazing testimony.
Caroline is the best.  My favorite memory with her was definitely her organizing the cup prank on the hall below us.  She is a blast to be around, but also a great listener.  Every time I talked with Caroline I felt that she genuinely cared about what was  happening with me.
Sara is the epitome of a best friend.  She is literally everybody's best friend in our hall.  She makes whoever she's talking to feel like a million bucks.  The world would be a better place if everybody were like Sara when it comes to genuinely loving those around her.  I love her SO MUCH!
Julie is the cutest and I was lucky enough to have her as my visiting teacher! If you need someone to feel something with you, she is the one to go to.  She was excited with me when I was, and sad with me when I was sad.  My favorite memory of her was when she came to visit teach me and said exactly what I needed to hear without even knowing it.  Her frequent kind and thoughtful texts made me love her so much.
Jennifer is one of those people where you continue to discover crazy and awesome things about her every time you talk to them.  She is an amazing artist and photographer!  She is honestly a great friend to everyone around her, but especially to Nat.  They are the cutest best friend and their genuine care for each other was such an example to me.
Ashley is awesome.  She is so smart in both school and church, and is such a great example of obedience.  I know that no matter what, Ashley is going to be doing the right thing. She has an amazing spirit and courage.
Lindsay is so much fun!  If you're ever looking for something fun to do, or someone to have fun with, she is your girl.  She's got an awesome testimony and a light that shines when she smiles.
Auburn is one of the first people I met this semester.  She is so adventurous and good at whatever she puts her mind to.  Just recently I was stranded at a mall in Provo and she dropped everything to come get me and my broken bike!
Erica!! Well, Erica is my roommate and I have shared so many laughs and memories with her this year. She is probably one of the most driven and hard working people I know.  She is so happy and bubbly almost all the time. I couldn't have picked a better roommie!
Gabby if first of all, so gorgeous.  She is amazingly talented, but would never hurt a fly.  She has a quiet, sweet spirit about her that brings so much to our hall. She was my visiting teaching companion this semester and I love her so much!
Nicole is the best.  She is always so much fun to be around! Everytime I would pass her in the halls she would check up on me to see how I was doing. 
Malia has been such an example to me this year.  Just last week, when Ashley was sick she dropped everything to take her to the urgent care.  She is so reliable.  I know that if I ever need anything she will be there in an instant.  She is totally adorable and is going to be the best mom!
Kit holds a special place in my heart this year.  She is a true radiant of happiness and the love of Christ. She is always energetic and full of excitement.  Her huge smile and loud laugh will be something I never forget.
Calli is a total riot and I love it.  My favorite memory of her is scaring her at night in the bathroom what seemed like time and time again.  She says things exactly how they are and is always so much fun.
Stephanie was who I got to visit teach!  She is so sensitive to everyone's feelings around her.  She is so thoughtful, kind, and hard working.  She is exactly obedient, and is truly such a Christ like person.
Kim is so funny.  Our love for hilarious tv shows like The Office and Friends bonded us from the start. I love sitting in her room talking with her.  If anyone is in need of a good laugh, Kim is the one to go to to bring a smile to your face.
Cassidy is so beautiful inside and out.  I loved watching her love life blossom over the year.  One night, she even gave me the how to on how to be a good kisser.  She is totally beautiful and fun and just a great person!
Katie is such a great girlfriend to have.  Not only does she give flawless fashion advice, but she's a great listener too.  She helped me modernize some of my missionary clothes this year and has always been a great person to talk to.  She is so beautiful and trendy, but so gentle and kind too.


I have truly felt Heavenly Father's love for each of the girls in my Relief Society.  I will take what each of them has taught me this year and carry it with me as they have changed me.  These girls really have become my sisters.  We have made a bond that is unbreakable, and learned so much from each other. I am so sad to say goodbye to them, but how lucky am I to have met people that make saying goodbye so hard?

Life is good with my wonderful Relief Society. 


Friday, April 18, 2014

Because of Him



Because of my Savior Jesus Christ, I have found everlasting joy in this life.  At times when I have felt alone, He has been there to comfort me.  I am sealed to my family for all eternity.  Because of Him, I have been able to overcome past mistakes and become better.  Because of Him, I can mess up again. And again. And again. But my sins can be washed away. Because of Him, I can love others with a pure love.  Because of Him, I can be a better me.  Because of my Savior Jesus Christ, I can one day live to stand before Him.

I know that my Redeemer lives.  I know that he suffered in Gethsemane and died on the cross so that all mankind may be saved and resurrected.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to grow close to my Savior.  He has become my friend when I feel alone, my rest when I feel overwhelmed, my peace when I am scared, and my encourager when I feel down.  At this wonderful Easter season, I hope to be able to love Him more fully. 

Life is good, #BecauseofHim

Sunday, April 13, 2014

I love my life.

Well, it looks like life is so good I haven't even had time to blog about it!! I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this post.  Soon, I will be returning home and leaving BYU and my life will be drastically more boring. Here are some snapshots of some of my most recent adventures here in beautiful Provo!

Animal Dance! I have the greatest ward, so many people get together and do stuff like this. 

I was on an intramural basketball team!! As you may be able to tell from the looks of this picture, it didn't go very well in terms of winning.  In our first tournament game we only had 4 players show up.  I may have gotten a little (a lot) too competitive, but it was way fun. 

BEST TIME 80's dancing at Area 51 in Salt Lake.  Seriously, I will probably miss these nights the most. 

Just hangin' with Erik Mika, BYU basketball player. Also, I continued my back flip streak going! 

Riley, Cady's sister, came into town and we went disco skating! 

Destiny and Sara are 2 of my all time favorite people.  They are my counselors in Relief Society and I LOVE THEM TO DEATH!  We were all wearing denim so we had to take a pic (; 

Apple Beer is a pretty popular beverage here at BYU and I had my first this past week! 




Tay and I had a photo shoot!! It was so much fun and we got so many awesome pictures.  She is so gorgeous, it makes taking pictures easy. 

"Rent a Puppy" is a thing here!  You call and order a type of puppy and they deliver it to you and pick it up an hour or two later!


The weather has been AMAZING here the past week.  We spent time outside playing sand volleyball and having picnics (: 

Capture the Flag on campus late at night is always a great time. 



And last, but definitely not least we went to the Hot Springs!! Down in Spanish Fork canyon, about an hour hike in, there are beautiful water falls and natural hot springs.  We got a bunch of people and had a blast.  I love being in Utah when the weather is nice, there is so much to do!

Basically I'm just having the time of my life here.  I wouldn't change how anything is going except for maybe slow it down a little bit! The thought of leaving here in just 10 days makes me want to cry!

LIFE IS SO GOOD

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Happy Birthday, Cady!






It was this beautiful lady's birthday on Monday!! She turned a whoppin 19 years old. We had tons of fun celebrating (:  Erica, Sara, and I decorated her room with streamers, balloons, and pictures.  Then we went out to Zuppa's Cafe for dinner (Ohio needs one of these…). When we got home from dinner there were all our friends in the lobby to "surprise" her!  Then we had cupcakes and just talked with friends (; It was a great day!

Let me tell you a little bit about Cady.  She is the happiest, kindest, and prettiest girl that always brings a light into the room.  My favorite part about Cady is she always makes me feel important.  Any day I need someone to listen to me and ask about my day, she is the one I go to.  Her constant smile and laugh is contagious to anyone she's around, and I don't think I've ever heard a negative word come out of her mouth.  I know that no matter what we're doing together, she's going to be having a great time.  She has an incredible testimony.  She knows who she is, and is amazingly obedient.  Her example of integrity and always doing what's right has had such a huge impact on me this year. I am so grateful for all of the memories we've made this year!! She's been my work-out buddy, my personal therapist, my partner in crime, my motivational coach, and one of my very greatest friends.

I LOVE YOU, CADY!!

Life is so good on best friends' birthdays! 

Monday, April 7, 2014

General Conference

LDS General Conference was this weekend, and I was lucky enough to attend in person!  The choir, the talks, and being on temple square with thousands of people was such a great experience.  My favorite talk was definitely Elder Holland's.  I love that I can pray about a question and have it answered through the talks given by the prophet and his apostles.  I also ran into a Sister Missionary from the Philippines!! I was SO HAPPY to be able to talk to her! She got my e-mail address and said that she would try and write me soon (:







I am so thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I know that it is Christ's church and it is lead by Him.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a real modern day prophet who is the mouthpiece for Christ.  I am so lucky to be able to live so close to Salt Lake City and have the opportunity to go to General Conference.  I hope I can take all that I learned this weekend and be a little better now! (:

Life is good at General Conference!