EFY Provo 05A

This week was seriously a "trying week" for me. We had a group of 39 kids, and there were 5 of us co-counselors. Trying to get together and have our communication good was really hard.

-Monday: Woke up and had breakfast with a couple of my roommates. Then, we went over and had our business meeting. After the business meeting I try-ed out for "singers" and didn't make it. I say it's because I lost my voice the week before and it still hadn't quite come back yet, but honestly who knows. Then, I went over and worked check-in. That was fun, I got to meet some pretty awesome kids as they were checking in. After check-in a couple of us went to Wal-Mart and got some food and stuff for the week. Afterwards, we went back and met our kids. It was a lot of fun getting to know these girls. I had 8 girls, they were called "Terri's Eight": Amy, Annie, Lisa, Kaitlyn, Mallorie, Hollie, Meagan, and Kelsey.

-Tuesday: Woke up and had a CRAZY breakfast with my girls. There were so many people at breakfast, it was CRAZY. Then, we had about 3 boys attach to my group, they were cute, so it was ok, and actually REALLY funny. Classes were fun, well, the morning classes, I wouldn't know. I got to work "Lock Box" duty, we got to get all of the supplies ready for the other sessions in other areas, and then we got "goodies". We got items from old EFY sessions. I was on afternoon class duty, and got to sit in on a class. The first class was really good, but sitting through it a second time, no bueno.

-Wednesday: We had breakfast with my girls again, and it was a lot less crazy. Then, we went to meet up with our company. We had classes and lunch. After lunch, I started feeling really sick, so one of my friends watched my class duty, so I took a nap and when I woke up, I still didn't feel any better. Then, I went back to my room and passed out. I threw up about 6 times in 45 minutes, it was disgusting. I then HAD TO go to games night, I went to games night, our kids won the cheer off. Then, we had pizza night. I was feeling so sick, it was no fun. My girls were AMAZING and had their lights out at 11:00, just like they were supposed to. Then, I got a blessing went to bed, and woke up feeling AMAZING.

EFY Provo 04A

WOW, this past week was amazing. I spent my first week at EFY, and I've already learned and grown so much.

Here's a run down of how things went down this past week:
Monday:
- it was amazing!!! I got to meet pretty much all of the counselors in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, we got to meet our kids. I met all 10 of my girls (THEY were AMAZING). Ashlie, Lauren, Jade, Kyla, Erin, Emily, Melissa, Babe, Hayli, and Shailee. Then, we got to meet all 10 the boys in our company: Tyler, Robin, Shea, Tyler, Michael, Alex, Kyle, Josh, Jonas, and Riley. We had a wonderful night, it seemed like everyone was getting along well, and that it would be a great start to a great week.

Tuesday:
-we went as a company to breakfast. At breakfast, Hayli started feeling sick, so she went back to her room for the day. I went back and checked on her about every hour or 2, but still had a blast bonding with my kids. That day, all of the kids started calling me "Mom", I think it's because I cared for them and looked out for them like a mother would, but honestly I have no clue why they started calling me that. Then, that night there was a dance. It was so much fun. I loved getting to dance with my kids and just have fun with them. Hayli started feeling better in the afternoon so she went to the dance with us, but at the dance got sick. At the dance, we all bonded so much and got so close, when we got back from the dance, you could not shut us girls up. We were all just growing so close and comfortable with each other.

Wednesday:
-Hayli was still feeling sick, so she didn't go to breakfast, and decided that it would be best if she stayed in her room all day. The whole company was sad that she would be missing out on the fun and the bonding, but we wanted her to feel better. Later in the afternoon, Hayli decided that it would be best if she were to go home, so her sister came and picked her up, and then there were 9 girls. That night, we had games night. It was so much fun. The company (my family) won every game, and even won the banner contest. After games night, it was PIZZA NIGHT. We had soda, candy, chips, crackers, and don't forget... PIZZA!!! The girls thought it would be funny to hear what the boys were saying about us, so they called the boys and were listening to their conversation. That was when I found out that one of my boys had a crush on me, and it was really funny. Then, they thought that they would play a prank on the boys, so they called them and let them listen to our "staged" conversation. Everything said in that conversation was true, just a little bit embelished. The girls and I had so much fun!!!

Thursday:
-On Thursday, I was sick. I think I caught the flu from Hayli, so I wasn't feeling so great in the morning. I skipped breakfast, went to our morning gospel study, went to the Young Women's activity (because I would be speaking), then I went back to my room and slept. Then, I got a phone call from my BC telling me that I needed to come back so I could teach my girls "The Living Christ" lesson. I was still not feeling good, but I knew that I had to go back. I am so glad that I went back. I don't think that I have ever felt the spirit as strong as I did while teaching and discussing "The Living Christ" with my girls. After that, we had lunch and just hungout. I was finally starting to feel a little bit better, but still not 100%. Then, we had the "Variety Show" which I helped with, it was great. Out of the 12 acts, 6 of them were from my company. So, my kids kept joking that it was the "Differeth From Another" Show with special performances by other companies. It was really cute. Then, it was free time. For the first time all week, I actually got to have a free time. It was nice to just relax for a little bit. Thursday night, we had testimony meeting. My kids have helped strengthen my testimony so much, and I love them for that. When we got back, a few of my girls told me how hard they had had it back home, but that coming to EFY and having me as their counselor, has made all of the difference. And, it was so nice to hear that from my kids. To hear that I have made an impact on them.

Friday:
-Friday, I think, was a kind of somber day. All of us knew that this would be our last day together. The last day of the kids calling me "Mom" and my co (Ryan) "Grandpa". The kids celebrated Ryan's birthday, and then gave both of us these adorable BYU mugs, mine said "MOM" on it, and Ryan's said "GRANDPA" on it. We continued to grow and learn, and become a family. Ryan and I decided it would be nice if we gave the kids a little gift, we got them CTR rings, and "Mormon Ads", reminding them that God is always on their side and that they need to remember to Choose The Right. Banquet was that night, and I personally felt attacked. 6 of my girls were told that their outfits were immodest. I thought that they looked adorable, and didn't see the problem with their dress (other than one girl's) and the girls didn't understand it. I had to tell them that it is the EFY standards, and that they needed to comply. Because of how a few of them were told, they felt like they were being called sluts, and I was on the break of tears for awhile, because it really was just frustrating. I couldn't do anything, and I felt helpless. But, my boys were great. They refused to eat until I came back with the girls, and they really were true gentlemen. The girls and I finally went back to the banquet, and we had a dance that night. It was awesome, and so much fun. I was asked to dance by 2 different guys, and also, I got asked on a date. The guy who asked me is not the greatest looking guy, but he is a sweetheart and I couldn't say no to him. He is also waiting for a missionary. At the end of the night, many of us girls were in tears. We didn't want to say goodbye to the family that we grew to know and love, and we knew that in the morning we would have to.

All in all, it was an amazing week. I love my kids, all 20 of you. And, I will always be their "Mom" because, I will always remember my first group at EFY, and everything that they helped me to learn and grow spiritually.

Unpacking in Provo

So, now that I am in Provo, I am left with the duty of UNpacking all of my stuff.

As I drove last night from California to Utah, I felt as if I was leaving a part of my life behind and going towards a new and exciting part. The drive was long, and tiring, but I am so glad to be here. This afternoon, I was faced with a trial, and it made me question being here. But, I am so happy to be here. There is no other place I'd like to be, well other than in Brandon's arms, but I think that's a given. ;)

I'm sitting here, taking a break from unpacking the 2 suitcases, 2 cardboard boxes, and 1 duffel bag of my things, and I can't help but think, "this is what my life's work is condensed into: 2 suitcases, 2 cardboard boxes, and 1 duffel bag." For the next almost 2 months, I will be like a nomad, packing up my things, putting them in my car, driving around with them, staying one place for one week, then going to another. I honestly cannot wait until I get to unpack and leave my things in one place, for good.

Missionary's Girl

The Missionary's Girl
Somewhere between the whirl of teen-age dates and the responsibility of matrimony, we find a lone creature called the missionary's girl.

They come in two varieties- engaged and hopefuls. They come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors- blue being the most common.

The missionary's girl is found at home, missing parties, staying away from dances, paying her own way to the movies, buying stationery by the gross.

Missionaries love them, young girls look up to them, parents tolerate them, postmen hate them, and weekly letters support them.

A missionary's girl is a composite. She has the appetite of a mouse, the enthusiasm of a wet noodle, the patience of Job, the persistence of a stainless steel salesman, and the imagination of Scherazade.

She likes letters from the mission field, invitations to his home, long distance telephone calls, items for his scrapbook, pictures of him, and other girls who are waiting.

She isn't much for Saturday nights at home; people who say, "two years is a long time"; new clothes with no one to wear them for; sad movies and music; movies with love scenes; knitting; wedding receptions; little sisters who date; and "Dear Janes".

A missionary's girl is an odd object. She can get lonesome, discouraged, and temporarily lose faith in the whole missionary system. No one else can write such cheerful letters in such a rotten mood. No one else can get such a thrill at the end of the day by the words, "Why, yes, I believe there is a letter for you." Nobody else is so early to bed and so early to rise.

A missionary's girl is virtue with no chance to be otherwise, faith with twenty-four months to wait, prudence with 69 cents in her savings account, and beauty with no one to give a darn.

Yes, she is all this, but it will all be forgotten the day he receives his letter or release and, upon his arrival home, she will probably utter the words she once considered trite, "It hasn't seemed like any time at all!" -Dan Valentine

My AMAZING MGs

I have been a facebooker for about a year and a half now, but I didn't become an addict until May 2007, when I joined the amazing group "Waiting for a Missionary". There are some of the most amazing girls that you could ever meet. Some may call us: "weird, crazy, and/or obsessed" but really, we are normal girls who are here to help, uplift, and support girls who are going through the same things we are. We are Missionary's Girls. I have met some of the most amazing people ever. They have become some of my closest friends, even though I've only met a few of them, just a couple times.









I do not know how I would've made it through the past year without them, nor would I like to think about a life without them. They are wonderful, amazing, beautiful people. And, I cannot wait to see them this summer!!!

The Love of My Life

February 24, 2007 I met the love of my life. Brandon is my best friend, boyfriend, and the person I want to spend forever with. Happily ever after is not just in fairy tales.

We spent the most amazing 3 months together. In those 3 months, I felt more love than I had ever felt in my entire life. He showed me that it was ok to be myself and he loved me for it. There is no day that I don't think about him, there is no day that I do not pray for him, and there is no day that I don't love him. If I could be anywhere right now, it would be in his arms!

Brandon left May 23, 2007 on his 2-year mission for our church. He is currently serving in the Mexico Hermosillo Mission.

Packing for Provo

I started my packing on Monday night, and I feel like I'm actually growing up in doing so. I feel like I'm packing up one part of my life and moving forward into another. My closet is empty, my suitcases are full, and now I feel more scared than ever. I'm questioning every thought that I've had about moving to Utah. Grant it, I'm only moving there for the summer (for now) I feel like I'm leaving my whole world behind and jumping feet first into something so new and scary.

I had my last day at in-n-out yesterday, Tuesday, three years in the making. It was ana amazing day. I got a compliment on our store QFC (quality, friendliness, cleanliness) which is like our store checklist. That was a big deal. And, it just couldn't have been a better day. I never thought that I would say this, but I really think I am going to miss in-n-out. I made some amazing friends, many of them have become like family to me.

I have 2 more days in California, until I make the BIG drive. Wish me luck!