"We have heard enough truth and direction in this conference to bring us into the presence of God if we would follow it."

I'm just about to head out the door for work.  I'm bummed, not because I don't get to sleep all day on Saturday, but because I'm going to miss the last half hour of the first session of Conference and also the whole second session.

I don't know if there are words for how grateful I am to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I'm grateful to be old enough to appreciate Conference and the blessing it is.  Although I was distraught at the idea of speaking in church last Sunday, I'm glad I was assigned the topic of preparing and participating in Conference.  I have a rejuvenated desire to really be involved in Conference.  I love it.  I love the words spoken and I feel as though I've had question answered and have received comfort even from the first few talks.

General Conference is a huge blessing.  It's our King Benjamin Moment.  The Lord is speaking to us directly.

Tune in and participate today and tomorrow.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”

There has been a series of fortunate events in my life these past few weeks.

First of all, I got the job.  I've been working at Subway for about three weeks now and I perpetually smell like  sandwich.  It's a small price to pay, considering I rock that job.  It's fantastic, it fills my free time, and it brings in some pay.  As a poor college student, having any source of income is much appreciated.

Secondly, because I got a job, I turned my search for a car into the real deal.  I made a few phone calls, inspected a car, took it to a mechanic for a better inspection, then bought it.  It feels so grown up, you have no idea.  The car is a '93 Nissan Altima and it needs a little bit of work.  It works well, though, and the price was good for what it needs.  Kelly helped me name him Jetson because of his automatic seatbelts (that only work on the passenger side.)  He's already paid off, I don't need to worry about car payments.  The car insurance I got is such a deal, I was stoked.  I had already gotten quotes from five other agencies, so I almost didn't called them, but I figured I'd do it.  I saved myself over $20 every month.  YEAH!

Next semester I've decided to switch apartments.  It was a sudden decision, sparked by my friend Mariah.  We're not moving very, far, just a building over, but we're excited.  The original plan was to move in together, but we waited too long to make the decision and ended up without the option of moving into the same apartments.  We've settled on being neighbors again, which is alright with me.  I'm mostly just excited for something new, a new ward, and new friends.

Also, I'm excited about spring.  Last weekend it was gorgeous out, so we packed up our blankets and sandwiches and went to the park.  We played bochee ball, frisbee, and most people tried out Kelly's unicycle.  That weekend was a complete tease.  This whole week has been nothing but rainy, windy, and cold days.  I'm so anxious for some sunshine and shorts weather.

But still, life is good.  I love everything right now.

“When the music changes, so does the dance”

I love music and I love working out.  Here are a few of my favorite pandora stations to listen to while at the gym:

• Hey Monday
• Marianas Trench
• Panic at the Disco
• Rilo Kiley
• Neon Trees
• Basshunter (occasionally) 

As of lately both Hey Monday and Marianas Trench have been my go-to stations.  Love 'em.  

In other news, it's almost Spring.  Shmems and I saw a butterfly on our way home from the gym today.  It was a wonderful sign on a gorgeous day.  I'm getting pretty excited for warm weather activities, including laying out, naps at the park, floating the rivers, and goofing off at Rigby Lake.  Do things get better at BYUI than Spring semester?  I'm pretty sure they don't.  

“Never wear a backward baseball cap to an interview unless applying for the job of umpire”

I went in for a job interview today with Subway.  Out of the blue yesterday I got a phone call from a gentleman named John who set up the interview.  I was surprised, since I applied nearly two months ago and hadn't heard a peep.  But the interview went well.  No, it went more than well, it went spectacularly.  I completely OWNED that interview.

It's not official, but I'm 99.8% sure that I have the job.  John really liked me, we talked about my hopes of starting a pie shop, and how competitive restauranting is.  He had me perform a test, separating colored golf tees into two bins as fast as possible.  Apparently it's a pressure test to see how someone problem solves.  After that we chatted about my experience with Starbucks and how I learned how to bust out a long line of people in no time.  I don't think "slammed" in Rexburg is the same as "slammed" in Malibu, so I've got no worries about the impending lunch rushes.

Assuming all goes well and I 100% get this job, it's just another testament to me that the Lord watches out for me.  He knows what's best for me, he'll make it work, even if I have to weather a few storms along the way.

Feeling so good today.

February 22nd

February 22nd is a weird day for me.

Last year on this day I felt everything crumble around me.  Everything I had planned up until then no longer mattered.  It's not a big secret, I was really hopeful for when Sam came home in January.  I think that's one of the reasons I put off going back to school.  I wanted to be home when he got home so we could rekindle the kind of relationship we had before, only without the barrier of an impending mission.

Well, that wasn't the case.  February 22nd was the day he told me he had a girlfriend.  For the past year, I've allowed myself to become closed off to those around me, I've become more untrusting of the people who are closest to me, I've become reluctant to care too deeply for anyone.  In some ways it's been my hardest year yet, but in other ways it's been a huge blessing.

Despite all of the emotional changes, the devastation, and abandonment, I've been blessed with so many new experiences.  With nothing holding me back, I made plans and changed them to fit what I wanted and needed.  A year ago today I decided to go back to BYU-Idaho. A week later, I was offered a job at Starbucks, which I accepted immediately.  That job was glorious, albeit challenging.  Not only did I meet celebrities (Chad Smith, Pamela Anderson, Pink, Steve Carell...) but I also developed really strong leadership qualities. If I had stayed in California, the manager position would have been mine in a heartbeat.  Now I'm at school, rocking it harder than I ever have before.

My point is this: I've spent too long allowing the events of February 22, 2011 affect me in a negative way.  While I've had good experiences, I haven't been the same person I was before.  I've hidden my confidence and out-going tendencies long enough.  What happened that day with Sam isn't going to dictate how I live my life nor whom I allow myself to get closer to.

Next year on February 22nd, I hope I can look back and say that this was the year I took my life back.

“Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof"

This past week I traveled home to babysit my brothers while my Dad and 17 year old brother, Aaron went on a trip to New York. While it was a wonderful visit with my mother, sister, and younger brothers, I found myself rather anxiously awaiting my return to Rexburg.  I think it’s safe to say that is now my home. 

The return trip ended up being a series of events that have reminded me how acutely aware of me the Lord is. 

The roadrunner shuttle that came to pick me up ended up arriving twenty minutes early, before I had gotten home from bidding my adorable nieces and nephew farewell.  When I pulled into the driveway, I got into rush mode.  I ran inside, grabbed my (thankfully) already packed bags, kissed my mother goodbye, and was out the door.  I had just gone grocery shopping and realized I left the bread in my Mom’s car.  As I pulled out my phone to call her to let her know, I realized the keys to her car were in my pocket, on their way to the airport with me.  Luckily we have a spare, so I called home and told her about the bread in the car and the keys in my pocket.  Originally I was going to text her, but I felt a phone call would be better.  Reaching her immediately through a phone call must have been inspired.  She called me back a few minutes later to tell me that while getting the bread from the car, my brother had miraculously decided to look in the center console of the car and found my wallet, which had my ID in it. 

I had a brief freak out moment, but managed to convince the drive that I needed my wallet and we would have to go back to my house, even though we left it twenty minutes earlier.  He was hesitant at first, since we had two other passengers in the shuttle and it was a holiday, which usually means the 101 and 405 are packed.  But we turned around and I traded the car keys (and my mom’s debit card, which I found in another pocket) for my wallet. 

I truly believe that it was the Spirit that whispered to me, “Call mom” and told James to check the car thoroughly.  I also believe that the Lord cleared the holiday traffic; we made it to LAX in less than an hour.  I made my flight no problem at all.

The lesson I learned today was to listen to those odd feelings.  The Lord has a way of working things out, you just have to do your part, even if it’s as simple as making a phone call.

"A mighty pain to love it is"

This is a love poem.  With Valentine's Day on the horizon, I felt it would be appropriate to share it.

The Last Word

Peter Davison

When I saw your head bow, I knew I had beaten you. 

You shed no tear -not near me- but held your neck

Bare for the blow I had been too frightened

Ever to deliver, even in words.  And now,
In spite of me, plummeting it came.
Frozen we both waited for its fall.
Most of what you gave me I have forgotten
With my mind but taken into my body,
But this I remember well: the bones of your neck
And the strain in my shoulders as I heaved up that huge
Double blade and snapped by wrists to swing
The handle down and hear the axe's edge
Nick through your flesh and creak into the block.

It's probably pretty clear how I feel about Valentine's Day.  Don't care for it one bit.