Squeezing in the last little bit of college randomness

This week has been one of the best weeks of my life up to date. Although every week is full of its up and downs, bumps, humps, drops, extremely long uphill chain pulls, and then the eventual feeling of weightlessness as you clear the top and gaze at the deathly fun descent that waits for you below. Every week has life lessons, mess ups, moments of ecstasy mingled with brilliance, being overwhelmed and feeling not the least bit smart but far behind a lot of the other people around you. Anyway, enough of the random rant...this week was quite awesome. I rediscovered how much I liked writing by spending hour upon hour upon hour from Sunday to Wednesday painstakingly working out my 10 page Book of Mormon paper on prayer. I had to research all the different beliefs of prayer from the Latter-Day Saint, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Baptist, and world perspective. It had to be the most interesting topic I have ever had the opportunity to research. All the religion had vastly different beliefs and principles in their prayer but all still had the same base in the fact that somewhere a God was lovingly listening to that prayer and wanting to help in whatever ways that He could. All believe that someone out there cares and loves them enough to listen and understand. This was a great testimony strengthener to me on the fact that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows me individually. He knows all my needs and my wants, my wishes and concerns, my strengths and my weaknesses. He knows all. There is no better listener to be found anywhere, nor a more loving, patient, or understanding one. I didn't really spend much time with friends or goofing off during those days but it was just a great time for me to reflect for my purpose in life and who I am versus who I eventually want to become. Plus it set up the right attitude for Wednesday and Thursday evening when I went to the temple for two days in a row (most amazing thing to do ever, can't be beat guaranteed). The temple combined with the religious paper made this week a spiritual high unlike any other I have felt in a very long time. The fact that I finally went to the temple again lifted a huge load off my back and gave me great comfort and peace. It had been far too long since my last visit. I now have made the goal to go once a week and I am going to do the best that I can to stick to that. It will be difficult to be sure, but it is more than worth it. Oh, also during those days I managed to acquire a Santa hat from the creamery and have been wearing it to keep my head warm all week - despite all the curious looks from all sorts of people. One little girl about 4 years old did catch the Christmas spirit from me though and said "ho, ho, ho" and ran over to me to give me the cutest smile and laughter ever. So what if its a little bit early to be thinking of Christmas? Its the warm glowing feeling that she and I shared that really matters. The one of supreme joy, where nothing can pull you down. Friday was game night. We broke out Quelf again and had a blast playing it. I have yet to meet anyone that can resist that game or fail to not end up rolling on the floor laughing by the end of it. But it does require a person to not care about how stupid they look or act because of the various challenged that have to be completed. I also made some strawberry chocolate chip ice cream which was a major hit and completely consumed in that one evening. Ridiculous how fast such stuff goes. Ridiculous how fast anything I make goes really. From cookies to pasta to chicken pot pie to ice cream to ribs...its all gone immediately consumed by the ravenous beasts that are college students. Saturdy and today have been work days. But it feels so good to work, its one of my favorite activities because there always is a sense of personal satisfaction and ahievement that comes with working shifts doing whatever whether it be lifeguarding, loading dishes, or lawn mowing, the result is the same. For Saturday lunch I covered for Amanda and got to work the "line" or serving the missionaries for the first time ever. I didn't think I would see anyone I knew because all of them have already left the MTC by now or went to a foreign country's version of it. To my surprise and elation however, Kendall Sirrine showed up in my line to grab the bagel sandwiches I was serving. What was even better is that he was all alone, there was no other people behind him so we got to talk for a full five minutes before I had to get my butt back in gear and work again. Kendall is the same amazing guy I always knew - humble, loving, caring, understanding, happy, faithful, reverent, and megaspiritual. He is perhaps the one guy I know that was completely ready to enter the missionary field and so has had to change none at all at the MTC. How crazy cool is that? It takes a true hero to be able to do that, at least to me. To be able to live in the world but be able to pull oneself completely out of it at all time and in all places and circumstances. I admire him more than he will probably ever know for that. I have made it one of my life goals to eventually end up like him, but it is quite a high order to live up to. After work got over Saturday night, we decided to go ice skating because Samuel had never gone before and really wanted to try it out. I am the same klutz as always, nothing has changed there despite all my greatest hopes and wishes. So I ended up spending more time face down or sitting on the ice than actually skating on it. But I still had fun and it was awesome to watch everyone else be able to do it. I guess that is just one skill I will not master till after the Resurrection when the clumsy part of me won't be so controlling. The thing that hit me really strong last night though is how insanely fast life is moving now. In junior high, life was steady and slow like rush hour traffic. Then high school hit the open road with senior year starting to approach the speed of sound. Now college is going Mach 6 and it feels like I have barely had time to turn around twice and its already the end of November with finals and the end of my first semester just around the corner. Life is rushing past me and Im trying to hold onto it and finding it quite impossible to do so. This week will finally provide a nice clash to the normal routine though as I finally get to go home. I get to see my family, the people I grew up with and the ones I get to stick to for eternity. They say home is where the heart is, and if that is true than my home still resides at 1727 N. Ashbrook Circle...I just haven't been able to transfer my heart yet. I am fully mentally, physcially, emotionally, almost whatever-ally at BYU. But I left my heart behind, forgot to pack it. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing but Im really very exicted to see my mom and my dad. The two greatest parents anyone could ask for and all my brothers and sisters. Lora, my best friend in the whole world and someone so much like me its quite creepy sometimes. Nathan, the inventive, creative one. Ashley, the one who likes to take control and plan out events. Adam, the kid with the absolute biggest heart in the world possible. Tyler, the entertainer extradonaire. I think he will get far in life being a comedian or something someday. And Emma, the cutest angel to ever grace the earth, bar none. If those descpritptions don't convince anyone how happy I am finally see them all again tomorrow, I don't know what will. But I love you all and miss you dearly! Be home tomorrow!!!

Song of the week: "He's My Son" by Mark Shultz. Its a song about a father praying for his critically ill son who is lying in a hospital bed. One of the most moving pieces of modern music I have ever heard, definitely helped to get the brain juices flowing over and over for my prayer paper.

Thought of the week: "I am a child of God, so why shouldn't life be awesome?"

Picture of the week (all the rest are posted on Facebook): a rousing game of Quelf!