Becca's Mission Call

My best friend, Becca, got her mission call. I'm so excited for her and for her decisions that have led up to this point in her life and for her to be able to take this step. She is going to the Houston, Texas South mission and she leaves April 10 and will be speaking Spanish. I knew she would speak Spanish, I just knew it. I'm so excited for her but I'm going to miss her so much when she's gone. It will be pretty hard but I'm just glad that we'll get to write each other and our letters will actually get to each other! Love her!

Temple Square

It was an absolutely beautiful night with some amazing people. The lights were gorgeous, the sky was clear and the temple was magnificent as always. The boys also kept us pretty entertained with their humor as evidenced by some of the pictures. 

Pumpkins and Bowling

So at BYU, you have real fun. The kind you remember because you do something spontaneous and maybe kind of dumb and its possible that its really weird. On both of these nights thats exactly what happened. When we carved pumpkins, we may or may not have saved all the guts and the boys may or may not have thrown them at some girls window. Use your imagination and just laugh. On the other night, we drank lots of lemonade, took the cans down to the long, long hall in the basement and threw a baseball at them. I'm not saying that we're professional bowlers or anything, but we looked pretty good (even doing the potty dance from our drinking contest). Actually we were all terrible and in our maybe 7 rounds, we all knocked down about 15 pins. Kind of pathetic. But it was so fun!!!

Conference

We got tickets!!!

My friends Lydia and Haleigh came down from Idaho for General Conference in October. It was my first time actually being at conference so that was pretty exciting in itself. Then President Monson announced that the mission age would be lowered for boys to 18 and for girls to 19. Lets just say that the only thing that people at BYU talked about for the two weeks following (and really the rest of the semester) was missions. This changed my life a lot, not because I am planning on going on a mission, but because all my friends are. Two of my roommates are moving out tomorrow because they will be going on their missions in March to Taiwan. My best friend, Becca, was just call to Houston, Texas yesterday and a million other girls I know are in the process of submitting their papers, or already have. The demographics at BYU are going to change so much! It could be a good thing because that means more boys for me. It stinks for the boys because the girls they want will all be gone. 

I feel like this is the first major change in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that I've seen up close and personal, even though I've been a member all my life. I'm so excited to see the effect that this change has on missionary work. I can't wait to see all the growth and all the lives that are touched because more missionaries are out in the world sharing the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I know a mission may not be the best thing for me, at least not right now, but I know that anyone that goes will have their life changed and will have the opportunity to change other's lives. 

Hikin' the Y

Earlier in the semester some friends and I hiked the Y. When you go to BYU you have to hike the Y. I'm pretty sure when you accept your admission to BYU there's a fine print that automatically pledges you to hiking the Y at least one time while you're there.

I have to admit I was kind of scared at first. Everyone told me how horrible and steep it was and that I would never want to do it again. It was a little steep but it was only like 2 miles so it wasn't bad at all and the view from the top.... Sublime. I guess the people around me kind of made it great too. I have some of the best roommates and friends that make me laugh no matter what. Life really is better when you surround yourself with people that make you happy. :)

Life Lately

So apparently when you go to college life gets really busy. I just realized its been two months since my last post and I was pretty diligent about posting before that. Whatever, I'm over it. Anyway, life has been absolutely insane lately. People say that college is hard but they don't stress it enough. College is REALLY REALLY hard. I've never studied so hard, stayed up so late, and written so many pages. Its kind of draining. On the flip side, college is absolutely wonderful. I've never been able to go to the temple so often, met so many wonderful people, gotten so crazy at a sports game, been so cold (which maybe isn't so wonderful), stayed out so late having a great time, and laughed so hard. I wouldn't trade the incredible experiences I've had at BYU for anything in the world. I just wish the whole school thing wasn't part of the college experience. And lets be real for a moment, I wish the whole face breaking out all the time wasn't part of college either. How do you expect me to meet my future husband with all these marks on my face? I guess I'll just have to get over that too. 

Last week we had our first break since Labor day. It was very welcomed. In the week and a half leading up to break I had 4 tests and 2 huge papers due. I wanted to rip my hair out a couple times, but I just had to keep reminded myself that my family would be in Utah soon. Seeing them was so much fun! I even forgot my scriptures at church out of excitement which is something I've never done in the 10 years I've had them. Going to college has made me realize a lot of things. I'm not saying that I'm any sort of expert on life but I have learned some life lessons. Here they are. 

Number one: YOLO. Yeah, it seems silly but its so true. You have to weigh your options and make sure that you not only get all your studying and everything else done, but that you make time for fun too. You'll go insane without having fun!

Number two: Laugh often. Laughter really is the best medicine. It makes you so much happier and makes you like people so much more. 

Number three: Family is the most important. I never realized how much I love my family and how much they love me until I was away from them. I'm closer to my brother and sister than I have been in the last few years since they were at college, but being away from my parents has made me realize how much they do for me. Being away from something really makes you realize how much you love it, or in this case, them. Also, it has been so great to be close to my sister. We have had a super close relationship our whole lives but it is so nice to be able to talk all the time about the day to day things when we meet up after class or hang out on weekends. I love it. I love being close to my extended family too. I have such awesome aunts, uncles, cousins and especially grandparents.

Number four: The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Going to BYU, you see this everyday. I feel it when I go to the temple or when I hear of kids getting their mission calls. Why else would the Lord want to send so many of His children and give more of them the opportunity to serve and preach the gospel if it wasn't true? 

I guess thats all right now. I just needed a break from studying and a place to put the thoughts swirling around in my head. 

P.S. Pictures are on their way :)

Fall

Fall is in full swing here in Utah. The mountains are covered with colorful trees and it is absolutely beautiful! In California we the trees don't change like they do here so its nice to have a change of scenery. Literally. 

Some of my roommates and I decided that we wanted to go up and take pictures in the mountains so this weekend we did! I had such a great time with my roommates. I'm pretty sure I'm the luckiest person ever in terms of roommates. We all get along so well and always have so much fun together and everyone is completely normal! Its awesome. 

After we took pictures we went ice blocking with some friends. It was so much fun! We did a 5 person train and got down the whole hill. Then I we hung out with those people after and it was so much fun. I am completely in love with college. 

Party Time

Shirt: Old Navy, Pants: Loft, Watch: Michael Kors, Necklace: VonEshna, Shoes: Saltwater Sandals

My first weekend at college was so much fun! We went to the football game and BYU killed. We also got rained on which was kind of terrible. We went to this dance that was really lame so we left early and got Dairy Queen and then we floated aluminum boats down these little rivers and mine won!!! We went to Wal-Mart and had an adventure there and then made brownies. Then on Monday, one of my roommate's family took us boating. It was so much fun! I love college!!!

College

Shirt: J.Crew, Jeans: Vigoss via Nordstrom, Shoes: Converse, Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelet: J.Crew, Necklace: J.Crew

I finally made it to college! Life has been pretty stressful for the last two weeks, hence the lack of posts. The weekend I moved in was absolutely insane. Moving in, buying groceries, setting up for and having Marissa's open house and just figuring out how to be on my own. These are some pictures of my dorm. It is SUPER nice. The kitchen is huge and there is so much storage everywhere. And.... wait for it...... GRANITE SHOWERS!!! I'm pretty spoiled I guess. 

I love BYU so much already. I have made lots of friends and I love my classes and professors. Its great to be a cougar!!!