One step at a Time

I have now been home for about a week. Life's definitely been different. Everyone is louder, I don't share a room with my best friend, it is COLD, and I have no school work. The no school work is definitely an upside, but in a way I kind of miss it. The homework and school gave me something to do, it kept me busy. Now that I have been home with almost nothing due any time soon, it feels like my days are a little more empty. Luckily I have had some help with a great friend with that. I'm learning that I love having a schedule. Even if you do not follow it perfectly, just having an idea of what you want to get done for the day or accomplish can really help. In reality, it is what got me off my butt. In regards to the other things, I know I sound super negative or I might, but this is where I put my thoughts and at the end I promise I'll be more positive.  When I say life is louder, I mean it is loud. I thought 311 at 1:30 in the morning was loud, but this is different....

A little over two months I wrote a blog letting everyone know that I had decided to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Now I probably have a few people wondering what's going on? Was she really serious? Well I am here to let you know, yes I was very serious. As of Sunday morning, my papers are officially submitted to Salt Lake. It has been a bit of a crazy two months, but I have finally finished my papers and let me tell you I could not be more excited. I don't know how it is possible to be so excited for something like this, something that I don't even know where I'll be living, but I know without a doubt this is what I am suppose to do with the next 18 months of my life. Or future 18 months of my life. Though this blog is to let you all know my papers are submitted, I wanted to share a few of the miracles that have happen along the way of me completing my papers. One of the first miracles I had occur was when I was figu...

Sometimes life gets stressful. When this happens why is it our first reaction to be mean and rude? Don't worry, this isn't a post to point out a flaw in everyone else and then say I'm perfect. This is kind of the opposite. Tonight I had an assignment that I was stressed about being late. The deadline was getting closer and closer and all I did was get more rude and mean. I had a loving friend encouraging me the entire time, offering to help in any way she could even when she had her own assignments due. I repaid her by being snappy. When I finished the assignment I noticed that, yes I had gotten it in on time, but I felt awful about it. No assignment is worth treating people badly. I did not score as well on it as I should have. I let my stress take over and drive my emotions. When someone needed my help, I did not put them first like I should have, all I could think about was me, me, me. I had to do this. I had to do that. I had to meet this deadline. I helped someone, bu...

I normally would not use a title that long, but I figured I should be pretty upfront and forward about this one. I also don't usually care if someone decides to read my blog or not, but this time I hope that anyone who has clicked on this link will take the time to read and understand why and what decision I have decided to make. If you're surprised about me deciding on to do this, well, welcome to the club.  Let me start off by saying this. For those I told I am not serving a mission or it just isn't for me, I was not lying. I had prayed about it and sincerely felt that I was not suppose to serve a mission; however, the Lord stepped in and has given me a change of plans. I want to let you all know how exactly I came to know that I am suppose to serve a mission for my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I had no thoughts of it. I loved what missionaries did, and even loved to go out with them, but I simply had no thought of serving one f...

I realized I had not written in a while and thought I should give everyone an update. Life has been crazy, but good. I'm smiling and happy with life. As most of you probably know, I completed my first full year of college. I am three semesters into my college career, putting me at half way through my sophomore year. I can honestly say the year flew by faster than I ever thought possible. The best part is I can look back and be happy. Not everything went perfectly smooth sailing the whole time, but I am happy with where I have ended up. I also did not think I would be where I am. Over the past year I have almost changed my major, left the country for the first time and had a job for a decent amount of time. I had fears and doubts that I never thought would enter my mind. I question if I was doing what was right for me and whether or not I was where I was suppose to be. I had to grow up and learn responsibility, something that does not just get planted in your brain. You really do h...

Well I can honestly say I did not think I would be writing again before the end of the semester hit, but there was an experience I wanted to share. Earlier this week I was at work and struggling with a relationship with one of my co workers. I am not going into detail because that is not important. Having this struggle had put me in a pretty down mood. I no longer wanted to be at work and, honestly, no longer wanted to even be in a good mood. If there is one person to call me down and talk some sense into me, it's my mom. No matter what she will tell me how things are and do what she can to help me through. She has my back. As I had hoped she was able to help calm me down and give me some solid advice on how to get through the rest of my shift. I went back to work and immediately took her advice. Now, currently there is nothing special about this. I am a girl who had a hard day at work, nothing special. I knew I would be able to get through it, but it was going to be difficult. Wh...

I started this blog a few days ago typing out the Pro's and Con's that I had discovered during my first full year here at BYU Hawaii. I had a few cons and many more pros, but tonight I realize that regardless of what I type everyone views things differently. Everyone has a different opinion and mind set. Not only does my view not really matter, but it for certain is not going to stay the same. Even in just the few days I was typing out this blog I saw one of my pros change to cons and one of my cons change to pro. I guess that's life. Things change, people change, life happens. There is no stopping it. Sorry if this is more down, but it's just where my thoughts are tonight. I could attempt to write this happy as can be blog, but that wouldn't be being honest with myself. In reality it saddens me that things change, that people change, that life happens. When I am finally happy and content, I wish I could stay in that place and never move. Stay frozen. This was thin...

Thinking is an interesting thing. I am typing this blog for two reasons: 1) I feel like typing and 2) I wanted to get this done so maybe I can look back on it later when I need it.  This past Saturday I had an experience that made me open my eyes. It wasn't the beautiful place we went or the way we got to that place, it was something that only I experienced and knew about. The mind is a powerful thing that can be an incredible thing, but also damaging. Most people who know me know that I overthink basically everything in my life. It's a fault and a trial that I am constantly working on everyday. What I realized was how much our minds, with what I'm assuming was the help of Satan, can fight against us. As I was riding in the back of this truck, enjoying the breeze go by. Friends close by with music and laughter. I was happy. I had a smile on my face. Then I start to think. My mind started on the idea of how truly lucky I was to have friends like this to come into m...

A few months ago I started one of these lovely blogs about the little things in life. I should have finished it, but of course, me being me, I put it off and never did. Being that I wanted to write at least once this month, I decided to finally put my thoughts down where it can be read.  So many times we get caught up in life that we forgot to look at the little things. Don't worry I know I am just as bad at this as anyone else. I guess one of my goals in writing this is to become more accountable. Now that all of you, how ever many that may be, are reading this, I know people have seen me commit to trying to do better. Sorry if that was confusing.  What do I mean by the little things? I'm sure it isn't hard to guess. The beauty around us, including the stars, the ocean (sorry...), the scenery, all of it. Regardless of where you look you can see beauty around you. For me, it gives me a little hope. Looking around I am reminded that God created this beautiful place and ...