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!!!

Life in a Nut Shell

So the past three weeks have been a little crazy.

Week of Thanksgiving: I was able to go home on Tuesday, not Wednesday like I had planned! I was really happy! I went to the Ashland Christmas parade to watch my little brother Stephen and little sister Rebecca perform in the marching band of my Alma Mater. That is weird to think of! Any way, I had fun seeing my family on my mom's side, especially my mom's sisters! Even if it is said that Catholics and Mormons don't get along well I sure do have a blast with them!! I also got to see a few of my friends, namely Erika, Jay, Katie, Sarah, Caleb, and Karen. Church on Sunday was full of people asking me about college and how long was I staying at home. Sadly, I could only stay till Sunday evening.

Week after: Recoup from Thanksgiving. I was busy with Orchestra rehearsals through the week for the concert on Friday. Both of my parents got to come to watch me perform as well as baby brother Nathan. We also went shopping for sweaters and boots. I had fun, the boys not so much. That evening (Saturday) was the Winer Formal. I went in my Jr prom dress. I was so suprised that I fit better in someplaces better than when I was in high school, someplaces not so much. I still had a fun night with friends and food. It was catered by a semi local hotel.

This week: I have been going crazy trying to do the last of assignments, rehearsing for the play next semester, preparing for finals, and getting ready for Christmas.

I was happy to listen to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. President Monson was my favorite that night, followed by President Uchtdorf.

That is my update for SVU life. Now how about those at home or any other family?

I Got A Picture With Dr. Stephen R. Covey!!!

On Wednesday, Novemember 18, 2009, Dr Stephen R. Covey came to SVU! He talked how to better ourselves. It was awsome! It was humbling in many ways, which I can't name off the top of my head. I learned that he has 51 grandkids! That is amazing!!



The stress is sometimes overbearing. I almost had a breakdown but I have amazing teachers and friends who support and love me.

I had also found out that I had made it into the play next semester! The play is Rhinoceros, a 1950's France where everyone turns into a rhinoceros!!! I can't wait!

Concert band had a concert Friday. Everyone loved it. I felt otherwise.

Otherwise, it's been good. I love you all and can't wait to see some of you during Thanksgiving!!!

I NEED to learn time management, thank goodness for Stephen Covey!!

I believe I have dug my grave. The end of this semester is drawing to a close and the paper work is piling up, the stress is rising, and Thanksgiving is coming!!! Basketball season has open with a bang, men winning all their games, tonight's score 96-30!! Which means pep band again. Concert band has a concert this Friday, orchestra the weekend after Thanksgiving Break, a formal dance that Saturday, finals soon after, along with other assignments due by the last day of the class!!

On a slightly different note, I auditioned for a comedic play called Rhinoceros. It is set in 1950 France, but it goes crazy!! Since I play an instrument, the director said that I was in the band for the musical, possibly getting some lines and get to help with set changes and whatnot. So... I'm in!!!! My first collge level acting experiance outside of my acting class!!! Amazing! And not only do I get to act but perform with my piccolo as well!! Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!

Otherwise, nothing new. I love you all lots and can't wait to see you all soon!!

Things are Getting a Little CRAZY Around Here...

This past weekend I had the opportunity to usher at the school production of She Loves Me. It is really good! The set is a turning set! The front of the shop the story is based in is on one side, turn, and the inside of the shop and a back room are in view! It looks AMAZING!!! I'll try to get pictures of it this weekend, I get to usher again this weekend too. The movie You Got Mail is based on this musical! I think they did a nice modern twist on the musical for the movie.

Monday: Well, what else is there to that. I have adapted Garfield to this day, "I hate Mondays." The best part was FHE. Everyone shared a spiritual thought and everyone had a different topic! It was really cool.

Tuesday: Went to College comp and talked Walden. Blech. Practiced a scene for acting from The Glass Menagerie, hung out with a friend on the bench outside of the library for a couple of hours, a playing test in concert band. Yup. Tuesday.

Wednesday: Great institute. Acting class I actually learned acting! Normally when we do questions for a chapter, he just lectures. But today, he had my partner and I perform a couple of lines of the scene we are doing. He helped me understand how to emotionally connect to my character and how to better communicate to others, objects, and my self! It was SO AMAZING!!! Everything just clicked in that moment. Wow.

Western lit, I have ANOTHER MID- TERM!!!! This is on Monday!! Aaaaa!!! Biology, we are learning about bacteria. Fun... (this is sarcasm if you can't figure that out). I went around campus trying to have freshmen sign a petition to encourage facilty to use MySVU, the online gradebook for the school. We want to know our grades so we can figure out how we need to improve.

I visited my RS president, she had surgury on her left ACL this weekend so I went to cheer her up.

I also went to the first pep band "banquet." We ate at Original Italian in BV and had ice cream at Alexander's! It was fun!!! And I got REALLY full I don't think I can eat tomorrow. Or I'll just be sick.

That's what's new in BV! I love you all and can't wait to see some of you during Thanksgiving!!

P.S. Papi and Mom, Brinnica says we will leave here at 6:30 or 7 am now! They have eye appointments at 3 pm so they need to be there earlier! So... I'll be home 10:30- 11:30 am wednesday morning, I think. Yay!!!!

Halloween, College Style

Just so everyone knows, Haloween here is not like Athens, OH halloween. I wish I had more time, a license, and a car to prepare for Halloween. I went as an elf, again. It was the only costume I had here and I had no creativity attacks for costume ideas. My friends, on the other hand were creative. My favorite was the portable water fountain!! One of my friends came to the ward halloween party with dollar earrings. She was... a Buck- an- ear! That was very creative! Alex was Danny from Greese, except that he looked like Clark in Smallville when he has the red Kryptonite ring! I told him this and he said that worked too.

This past week was also my first Relief Society Activity Meeting (Enrichment). I had to teach to set the example for the committee. The lesson was on journals. I had them make Journal Boxes. These are like Journal Jars but 2"x 2" boxes. They all turned out really cute! I had recieved so many compliments it was weird. I had been stressing myself out over this activity all week!

Our ward also went on a nature hike in the woods behind the Lofts, otherwise the girls' dorm. The trail led to the soccer/ football field. It was so beautiful out. I was happy to observe the creation that God made for all of us.

I have a request for all who read this blog. PLEASE PRAY FOR MY FRIEND! Her name is Ally Walker. She went to visit her family in California this past week, her brother? came home from his mission. She texted one of her other friends here and said she might not come back soon because she got sick with Swine Flu. Not a joke! I just think she needs some support and we can do that through prayer, so please pray for Ally.

I will get to come home for Thanksgiving, but I won't be there until Wednesday afternoon. I'm riding with a friend from Portsmouth and her brother. I will make sure I get out of the house and visit everyone!

That's whats new in BV!