Every Single Moment

This week has been the worst of Fall semester in terms of busyness! I had a Human Development paper due yesterday, I had four classes today including tons of homework for University 101, I start my work at TOPS tomorrow and I also have to go to a movie for Book of Mormon. Plus, I have to finish 71 pages of reading for American Heritage before lab tomorrow and three tests in the next week!!!!! Happy, happy, joy, joy!!! I sadly missed the True Blue Football event tonight over in Helaman Fields where the cover the whole yard with blue foam. Sooooo mad I missed that!!! Where was I? I was at University 101....stupid class. I would write more, but as you can see, I'm slightly busy at the moment!

"I made out a schedule. Every single moment of every single day from now until graduation is accounted for!"

-Rory, Gilmore Girls

An Hour to Become

I was sleeping so soundly this morning that I almost slept right through my Y Serve Orientation Meeting at the JSB. I woke up to my amazing ringtone by The B52's "Love Shack." It was Lynn at 10:35 a.m. The meeting would start in twenty-five minutes and I was still in my pajamas. I jumped out of bed, ransacked my drawers for some clothes, brushed my hair and teeth, and ran out the doors to meet Lynn. We shot over to the Tanner Building to take the elevator up instead of trudging up the hill. Amazingly, we actually got there on time, five minutes early to be exact! The meeting only lasted 20 minutes and all the needed was our driver's license numbers and social security numbers for a background check before we start work at the local elementary schools.

Sarah sent me two CDs that I got in the mail today: Hannah Montana 3 and the new Miley Cyrus EP. I pretty much love them!!! Haha

As for the rest of the day, Lynn and I have been working very hard on our Human Development papers on Sex Education in public schools. It's a rhetorical analysis paper just like I did in Mr. Deal's AP Literature class in High School.

Dinner was absolutely fantastic tonight at the Cannon Center: chicken alfredo with an amazingly still gooey chocolate chip cookie!!!!!! YUM!!!! And on the way to dinner, the mountains were a fantastic shade of orangy-purpley-red from the sunset. It was amazing!!!! If nothing else, I love Utah sunsets!

"He's not much of a much of a morning person--It takes him about an hour to become Jackson."

-Sookie, Gilmore Girls

A Magical Place

Lynn and I got up at 6:45, had breakfast, and arrived at the Marriott Center around 7:30 to wait for the Prophet!!!! We were pretty close to the front of the line, and sat on the concrete in line with all our blankets, and waited for two hours before they let us in to find seats. At 9:30, they opened the doors to the Marriott Center and people were running, pushing, and shoving to get good seats to see the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! We ended up with row 18 seats, right smack dab in front of the pulpit! Around 10:45, thousands of students had flooded in and the place was booming with noise from people talking and shuffling around. Out of no where, the whole place got instantly silent and the 20,000 + students all stood up simultaneously. President Thomas S. Monson walked forth from the tunnel and came forward to the podium seating, waving to us all. Russell M. Nelson, his wife, Susan Tanner, and Ann M. Dibb were also in attendance. President Monson spoke to us about the previous Prophets he has known and spent time with. He told us each of their favorite quotes, foods, hymns, and what they were most known for. He told us funny experiences that he's had with them. Joseph Fielding Smith "seemed to like sweet pickles," but Monson "hated them!" Spencer W. Kimball "refrigerated his notes!" He also liked milk with bread crumbs mixed in....President Monson "did not follow his example!" Kimball was also "not in the Navy like I was!" President Monson made the whole crowd crack up when he said, "I'm sorry, that was not in my prepared message!!!" His personal experiences with President Gordon B. Hinckley were my favorite to hear about. President Monson had a run in with President Hinckley's doctor, who complained that "President Hinckley needs to use his cane for WALKING! Tell him to use it as it's meant to be used!" In response, Monson said, "Doctor, I'm Gordon's first counselor, you're his doctor--YOU TELL HIM!!!" President Monson's talk was perfect in part because he is the Prophet, but also because he spoke about exactly what I had a quiz on in my Living Prophets class last night!!!! (I got an A+ on that quiz, by the way!) As President Monson left the performance arena, two little children were hanging over the edge waving to him. He stopped, looked up at them, and high-fived them. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen!!! President Monson is amazing and an inspiration to us all. I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to see him in person and learn from him firsthand!

**my pictures are blurry...but you can totally tell it's him!!**

"You have boys bringing you food?"

Yale (BYU) is a magical place, Anna!"

-Anna and Rory, Gilmore Girls change added

Evasive Maneuvers!!

Today was a GREAT sunday!!!!! I had three hours of amazing lessons at church. Sacrament meeting was all about the Articles of Faith and dissecting them to truly understand the fundamentals of our religion. Then sunday school was taught by Allison about the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. It was really interesting and I learned some new things! Then Relief Society was taught by the bishop.....morality. I won't go there now with all you readers!! After church, I was set apart as Ward Photographer!!! yeah!!!! Second ward in a row that I've been the photographer! On top of that, I'm the Hall Historian for 2100 floor!!!! Lots and lots of pictures!!!!!!! Tonight was also a CES Fireside with YW General President Sister Elaine S. Dalton. She spoke on a "return to virtue." I took tons of notes and I'm looking forward to sharing what I learned with all my YW back home!

I'm looking forward to a great week of learning, study, homework, President Monson, yoga, and starting my volunteer for TOPS!!!!!

"Lesson number one--when your mom or grandmother starts trying to pin down your specific whereabouts at a specific time and place, and she's smiling kind of weird, begin evasive maneuvers immediately!"

-Graham, Gilmore Girls

Circle of Freak Out!!!

Thought I'd start out will some new dorm pictures!!!

This week has been quite an entertaining one! On tuesday, I had my Human Development class where we talked about more Freudian theories about children. And then Robin and I rushed over to the Marriott Center for BYU Devotional to hear President and Sister Samuelson speak about "owning our futures." Then, at 5 o'clock I had my Living Prophets class where we watched and discussed the life of President Thomas S. Monson. He's so cool! HaHa Wednesday was my busy day! After our usual breakfast, we walked to American Heritage in the MOA and typed our notes so fast that our fingers hurt! I then had a meeting with my FA Peer Mentor Candace. I ran down to the Cannon Center to get lunch and then we were off to Book of Mormon where we discussed Lehi's Dream. Then off to Lifestyle Management where Kelli and I learned about how the body, mind, and spirit are one and must be in balance to be healthy. Then we were out to our most useless and boring class ever: University 101........we talked about family meals. How nice, right? After all of this stuff, I had a meeting with my RA at 9:30 and I am now the Hall Historian! I get to take pictures anywhere and everywhere!!!! Thursday was the usual Human Development and American Heritage Lab. I found out through Facebook that President Thomas S. Monson is coming to speak at our Tuesday Devotional and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!! I'm so excited to see him!!!!!!! Then yesterday, Lynn and I did Human Development reading and set up her new MacBook Pro, which I named Malcolm (mine is named Macy). Today will be filled with lots of homework, as tomorrow will be packed with Church, a CES Fireside with YW General President Elaine S. Dalton, floor meeting, and ward prayer!!!!! BYU is busy but FANTASTIC!!!!!

"Oh dear, you got caught in a circle of freak out!"

-Rory, Gilmore Girls

Pure Dickens

Four Day Weekend: sounds fun but in reality, sooooo not cool!!!! I slept over at Lynn's dorm for three nights!!! We went to the Festival Latinoamericano in Downtown Provo. It was a bust. Then there was the BYU vs. Oklahoma football game broadcast on ESPN and shown on HUGE epic sized screens in the Wilk. It was a pretty intense game!!! 3 minutes left and BYU scores and went ahead by one ultimately beating #3 Oklahoma. It was a great game to see!!!! Then there was the huge Blue and White Carnival at the Cannon Center in Helaman Halls. There was a talent show, carnival games, dunk tank, and cotton candy. It was a great way to celebrate BYU's victory! Church was good as usual and then Lynn and I watched "Baptists at our Barbeque." This morning (Labor Day) we slept in until noon! A full 12 hours of sleep!!! It was fantastic!!!!! But now we're bored out of our minds, adding to the M&M wrapper wall and listening to music! Classes actually keep us sane! haha 

Labor Day usually doesn't make me think of home, but now that I'm in Utah, I felt really sad about missing out on the Lowell Labor Day Parade and the Hebron Ward Party. I've had so many great memories on Labor Day and it really made me miss home to think about them. I can't help but think about all the fun I missed out on......102 days!

"Man, I love email. Every day Rory and I write to each other multiple times. It's great!"

"You enjoy typing to people more than talking to them?"

"Wrong perspective. Email is a return to the romantic days of letter writing. It's pure Dickens, baby!"

-Lorelai and Luke, Gilmore Girls

Nice to You

The first week of Fall Semester at BYU has been fantastic!! My Book of Mormon class and Human Development class are my favorites!!!! I've been hanging out with Lynn a lot watching movies and studying.  We're in almost all our classes together.  There's not much news other than studying, so until next time....

"Hey, talk to a boy! A boy will be nice to you!"

-Sookie, Gilmore Girls

Through a Tunnel

Classes started yesterday and they are going amazingly well!!!! I love them all so far!!!! It's already shaping up to be a great semester! I usually have breakfast with Robin, Briggs, and Tyler every morning and then off to class we go! It's so exciting to be a BYU and I truly love it here!!! More to come when homework subsides!!! 

"You're breaking up, the, the house is going through a tunnel!"

-Lorelai, Gilmore Girls