six inches

That's right folks. I finally went and did it.

six inches. 

and if feels oh so wonderful.

Changing

Change. I sometimes have a love/hate relationship with this word. I love when I try something new to eat and have found a new favorite. Although I hate when I try something new and it's no good. I love when you move to a new place and you get all excited to decorate it and make it your own. I hate when you move and find that nothing fits the way you want it to. I love when I try new shampoo and conditioner. This is one I love no matter what!

See what I mean?

Right now Jake and I are going through a bit of a change. It's exciting. It's a little nerve racking. It's a little crazy. Mostly I think it's a little crazy. However, I feel this change is going to be a good change. For both of us.

Not so much vacation

So I have had this WHOLE week off of work. I had all sorts of plans that I wanted to do.
This is what I have been doing this week.

- Finally changing my drivers license. (signature still looks like a 4th grader)
- Finally getting a new social with my "not so very new any more" name.
- Finally going swimming which included getting a nasty sun burn.
- Getting the car re registered and getting it inspected.
- And finally getting thank you cards out! I know, I know...how long have I been married now?

Did I do any of the fun things I planned?
Not really. But I sure got a lot of things done that probably should've been done a while ago.

August has been an expensive month.

Identity Crisis

So if you couldn't tell, my blog is going through a little bit of an identity crisis. Since I can't rearrange the furniture in the apartment (cause it will only fit one way), I try to change anything else that I can.

I'm a girl. I love to change things around. I'm even thinking of cutting me some bangs again.

Maybe.

I'm just warning you. My blog might be different in a couple of days. Maybe, maybe not.

Oh and by the way, I totally caught a fish on our camping trip.
Pictures and stories soon to come.

New Calling

So....I get a call today asking if I can meet with the Bishop.

Dun dun dun!

Sadly I knew this wouldn't be a "get to know you" meeting. I knew I was getting a calling. Which this time I was actually okay with because I knew the Relief Society presidency was already filled, and the ward already had a choir director. Don't get me wrong, I am happy do to whatever the Lord feels I need to do. It would just be nice to have a change. That's all I have been doing for a while. Well during sacrament meeting, when I thought I was safe, the bishop releases half of the relief society presidency, AND the choir director! Now I'm in trouble.

I am really, REALLY hoping it's not choir director. So we finally get to the chase.
The calling that I received was neither! I was shocked. I have been called as a ward missionary.
Yeah didn't see that one coming. At all. He talked about how there were a couple of non members who had come that I would be working with as well as a couple of members that have been non active for 3-4 years that just decided to come to our ward today. So needless to say I am very, very much intimidated by this calling. I don't feel like I know enough to teach these people. There are still many things I am finding out on my own! But I know that this is what Heavenly Father wants me to do. Haha I asked for a change and he sure gave me that!

Man. I have a lot of work to do.

Adjusted

I feel I have finally adjusted to this new change. Embraced it is more like it. I love it here! Love my job. Love being close to so many friends and family. Love meeting new people. It's fantastic. I have yet to find THE ward for me but I will give it another go this coming Sunday.
I made dinner for gram and gramps yesterday and it turned out very nice! That's one thing that has been hard for me is that I really do like to cook....but not for just one person....especially myself. So I'm thinking gram and gramps will be getting quite a bit of cooking from me. I have a couple of recipes that I am dying to try. I am so excited for the weekend! So many fun things planned!

Provo

After a plethora of trips home from Ogden with Mater packed to the max...I am now officially moved in. I think. Mostly everything is unpacked and I finally got my bed made so I could have something to sleep on. Mom and I went grocery shopping at Costco, love Costco, and I am pretty much set for quite a while. My roommate doesn't move in till August so I have to whole place to myself for a bit which has it's ups and downs.

• ups - I have the whole place to myself.
• downs - I have the whole place to myself

I already spent a month by myself at my apartment up in Ogden, and I just about went crazy! But I think this wont be too bad because I have so many friends that are close, and of course I have the grandparents to keep me company! This weekend was a little crazy! I had my last day at work Thursday, moved almost everything down that night, got up Friday morning and moved everything to Provo, only started to unpack when we went to my sisters graduation and did family stuff, and finally got to see one of my friends that just got back from his mission. Saturday was Seven Peaks with a bunch of my friends. It was so nice just to relax and have fun for a couple of hours. After that I headed back to change and get ready for a friends birthday party. Geesh! Thank heavens Sunday is a day of rest because Monday I start my new job and go straight from there.

Speaker

It's talks like his that make me realize that I can be so much better. You know I thought I was doing pretty good until he gave his talk. We were privileged to have Neil L. Anderson come and speak to us at our stake conference up here in Ogden. One of the boys came and sat down next to us with a big grin on his face as he told us that he just shook Elder Neil L. Anderson's hand! Haha! But really to have him there in person was so cool! You could just feel the power of this newly called apostle as he spoke to us. Here are some things I got from the meeting. I was trying to write them down as fast as I could so hopefully I will be able to read them.

• Brent C. Nelson talked about the theme of Conference which was "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." He talked about a boy who was a great example to everyone. While in sports, he made sure that he always put the Lord first and knew that if he put his faith in the Lord, they could whip anyone. (age 15) He liked everyone and everyone liked him. He was used as an example for other missionaries while he served. He was dedicated to his church, his family, friends, and work. On his way to a work meeting on a plane, sometime went wrong and the plane crashed killing everyone. Brent C. Nelson then asked us this question. "Are you prepared?" Then I asked myself, am I striving to be a good example to others? Am I striving to be the best that I can be?
  
• Brother Simpson - Ogden Temple president talked about the scripture Mosiah 2:5 and how we all need to face the temple. We need our families to face the temple. He told of story of a primary teacher that took her kids to the temple and asked each of them to go up one at a time, to touch the temple. After each one had touched the temple she said to them, "Now you've touched the temple. When you grow up, let the temple touch you." I thought that was so cool. It made me aware of how grateful I am for a temple that is not even ten minutes from where I live and that I can go there and partake of the blessings it gives each and every one of us as we do temple work.
  

• Didn't catch her name but she is in the Presidency of the stake Relief Society. She also talked about being prepared and compared it to Noah and the ark and gave us seven things to help us. 1:Don't miss the boat - take advantage of what we have (prophets, temples, scriptures) 2: We are all in the same boat - We need to help each other. 3: Plan ahead - continue your education. Be prepared. 4: Don't listen to critics - Man's opinion doesn't matter. 5: Travel in pairs - Marriage. Lean on each other, move forward together in faith, and for those that haven't found the one, be that person you are looking for. 6: The ark was built by amateurs. Titanic was built by professionals. You know what happened to both - Joseph Smith was a little boy when he prayed to our Heavenly Father. In some way we are all amateurs in our callings, but as long as we do them faithfully we will be blessed. 7: No matter the storm, when with Heavenly Father, there is always a rainbow at the end - It will all work out. Do not fear.
• Neil L. Anderson started talking about how we need to be clay in Heavenly Father's hands. We need to learn to grow into the mantle that we have been given. Be mold able. Be Changeable. Then he talked about youth. "Joseph Smith was young, the Savior was young. Don't let your youth be an excuse. We have to account for what we are in our lives." Also talked about how we need to keep Christ as our center. He quoted Thomas S. Monson from this last general conference, "Some would like to keep one foot in Babylon, and one foot in Zion. This is not possible." Mentioned D&C 45:57 (speaking as for us in our days) Then he went on to talk about how the power of the Savior is real. Accept it. We must remember Him always that His spirit may abide with us always (sacrament prayer) This next part is my favorite part of his whole talk. He talked about how when he was a little boy he used to catch butterflies. He would gently catch them in his hand, then put it into a bottle expecting the butterfly to still fly around, but instead it couldn't fly and fell to the bottom of the jar. He then said the spirit of the Lord is like unto a butterflies wing. It is delicate and refined. When we do something to harm it, it does not return immediately. We can't go to a bad movie one night, then expect the spirit to be there the next day to help us.
  

What a blessing it was to hear from this newly called apostle. His love for our Saviour is great. His love for each of us is great. I'm so grateful to have a living prophet and apostles on the earth today to help and guide us through hard times. I am so grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father and a loving brother, Jesus Christ. We are never alone.

What an awesome way to start the week. This is what I needed.

Dancing what?

I just signed up for a dance class. To be more precise, a swing dance class. This is so not like me...at all.

I can't dance. Period.

But I'm so excited! And hopefully by the end I will be able to dance!

For Fall semester I am signed up for seven classes which accumulates up to twelve credits.
Right now I am taking four classes which accumulates to twelve credits. Lame.

The new do!

Here are just a couple of pictures taken recently with my new hair. I love it...but am still trying to figure out new ways to style it...haha!