Temple Trip Blessings

Today was a great and epic day! I went to the Washington, D. C. to work in the temple. It was so much fun! I was baptised for my Nana (Elva Inez Shephard) and my great- great- grandmother Jessie Cooper Gilson Alley. It was so spiritual. I think I felt them there at the font when I came up out of the water. I loved it. I felt so much peace while at the temple. The priesthood holder that performed the ordinance with me was Dillon Urbach. He is a returned missionary from Portsmouth Ward in the Huntington WV stake, and yes we vaguely knew each other before we came out here. He is a really good friend who is a good at being a gentleman. But before all of this, I went to play practice. It was okay, I worked on the music that I perform in the show and then we ran through the first act. Yeah that was my day, how about you?

College Freshman 2: The Spring Semester

So, I haven't been on in a while. I went home for Christmas and New Year's, having fun all along the way. I definately need to come home and recharge the battery before coming bsck for the spring semester. I have been here for a week and a half and much has happened.

I went to a Luau provided by the Institute program here and ate new food or variations of ones I had before last Friday. That night, the school held a Welcome Back Dance with winter decorations. I had fun and met a new guy. His name is Johnathan. He is 16, graduating high school (through home schooling) at age 13 or 14, and has gone to BYU for 2 years! He was fun to dance with and interesting to figure out. He is also in the orchestra playing violin. I also danced with my home teacher Nathan Taylor; he is an interesting person as well. He is the only Taylor that doesn't play an instrument, but he makes up in singing and dance. Finally, my best guy friend Alex Torres asked me to dance with him. He made me laugh almost the entire time and a good experiance.

Saturday, I worked on homework and did some straitening up in my room. I also learned that Alex was going home. He had to go because he was having surgury on the wrist he broke during pre-football season.

Sunday was a reunion of the 4th ward. It was good to see many faces that were my age at church.

Monday was fine during the day, but that night for FHE was a party! We went to Brother and Sister Carlson's House to have a meeting with the member of the bishopric. We watched baby Camery make faces and just be silly, ate snacks provided by Yiselle (mom) and the Carlsons, and played a game of writing a sentence, passing, and drawing the sentence. It was quite funny.

Tuesday, I worked out in the weightroom!! I actually used equipment and exercised!! I did this with Alex so he could teach me how to use the stuff properly and on the stuff I knew how to use how to improve my technique. He was so hard, but encouraging and helpful. I also happened to be sore until this morning. Afterwards, I went to my other classes and tried not to think about Alex leaving the next day. I also found out that my other best friend, Diamond, learned that her mom is suffering from Kidney Failure. I would like to ask all who read this to pray for her and her family. Her mom is currently on medication but they hope to get a transplant soon.

Wednesday was well until lunch. I ate lunch with Alex and when he was ready to go, we said our good- byes. Some of you don't know this but he might not come back to SVU. After surgury, he wants to prepare to serve a mission, leave for 2 years, and he isn't sure if he will come back. After my 12:30 math class, which ends at 1:20, I went to my room and cried on and off for 3 and a half hours!! That is a lot for me!! But I have good friends here that make me feel good and I also can talk to him on Facebook and through email.

Thursday was good. I started my Strength Training class and went to spanish 2. I also went to our first pep band rehersal of the semester. Fun stuff, but the band seemed to have gotten smaller...

Friday was crazy. I got up and studied for Reason and Self (Philosophy), went to class, Spanish 2, and forum with Ahmad Corbitt, the director of the New York Office of Public and International Affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. He was talking how frienship is the best way to get people to change opinions on how the church is presented to others. I went to my other classes and that night played a game of Sardines. Sardines is kind of the reverse of Hide and Go Seek; one person hides and others search to find them, the last person is it the next round or the first, it depends how you want to play. A group of my friends went to hang out at the Mods across from the library. We were going to watch a movie, but waited too long on other people we thought were coming.

Today I had a RS Presidentcy meeting and Pep Band rehersal. After that, I've been working on homework, and typing this...

So pray for Diamond and her family this week and for the rest of the month! And I will update soon, while waiting look at these pictures!!!