california girls

Over Mother's Day weekend, me, Lyndsey, and Brittney, ditched Provo to road trip down to southern California!

Our mission:

surprise Devon by showing up at his mission farewell!

Now I am one of those slightly crazy people who absolutely loves road trips. Like a whole lot.
The best part of this one: great friends and there were mountains in view the entire drive.
I have now officially been to Las Vegas and to California. Both are slightly over-rated in my opinion.
We arrived Saturday evening. Sunday morning we headed over to the church building.

Mission accomplished.

Devon was beyond surprised, and he gave a fantastic farewell talk!

Plus, it was mother's day so we got to hear the primary kids sing. Best Sunday ever.

me, Brittney, Devon, and Lyndsey

Monday we all hung out at the nearby lake/beach, watched movies, and basically had a blast.
At the end of the day, Devon was set apart as Elder Watkins!
There goes yet another friend off to the mission field... 
that brings the total to about seventy missionaries that I personally know out in the field. Craziness.
And then we drove right back to P-town on Tuesday.

road trip playlist:

(every great road trip has fantastic music)

"I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes

"Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift

"22" by Eclipse (yes, I'm obsessed. don't judge)

"When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars

and of course...

"Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts

I have now officially been to California, Arizona, and Nevada.
I have also taken a road trip with people other than family members.

Other pictures exist with Brittney and Lyndsey... maybe someday I will actually get them.

All in all, it was an adventurous and absolutely fantastic trip!

Here's to the start of a wonderful summer.

time flies

post from mid-April 2013

The winter is already over.
Evidences of spring are everywhere.
New faces. New roommates. New friends.
Wedding receptions. Seriously I have three just this week. Craziness.

Here are just a few highlights from the past several weeks.

General Conference.
A great weekend of spending time with family and friends. And listening to the prophet and apostles speak.
What's not to love?

most epic conference picture ever.

me and Naticia on the train ride up to the Saturday morning session

So I have kind of a big announcement:

I FINISHED MY MISSION PAPERS!

I have decided to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
This means that for eighteen months I will be sharing the beautiful messages of this gospel with others. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve, and I am just so excited! I have finished up my part of the paperwork. Now just a few final things to take care of, then the paperwork will be submitted to church headquarters and I will receive a mission call. More on all of this to come. Hopefully soon!
To learn more about what exactly I plan to do for eighteen months, visit mormon.org/missionaries.

Skype sessions.
Devon headed back to spend time with his family before his mission. So a bunch of us Skype in order to continue our scripture study group. It is the greatest thing ever.
Seriously. Get a scripture study group going. At home, with friends, in your apartment. Anyone. Anytime. Such a blast!

group call with Devon's friend Allison, his little brother, Devon, and me and Lyndsey

me, Lyndsey, and Devon

I spend a lot of time with Lyndsey. 

We live next door to each other and basically have a party.

If you ever feel the need to relive your childhood, you're welcome to join us for some Hannah Montana.

Reorganization.

They say that change is good, but for now, it's a little sad.

Our bishopric was released and our stake presidency was reorganized! 

I have absolutely loved the past eight months with Bishop Murdock, his counselors, Brother Rosenthal and Brother Johnson, and their wives. They are such incredible people and I have been blessed to work and counsel with them.

me, Bishop Murdock, and Sister Murdock

I absolutely love this song.

Nothing else much has been happening.
I babysat my cousins for a night, finished up finals, and helped with a musical number. My job is up to forty hours a week instead of twenty so that should be fun. I'm enjoying the birds chirping and the blooming flowers. Hopefully the cooler temperatures stick around for a while.
The summer is off to a fantastic, busy start!

Remember to smile.

some easter thoughts

post from March 31, 2013

I love the Easter season.
Spring is on the horizon.
Everything seems to be ready for a new beginning.

I came across this blog post the other day.
I have to admit, I had all but completely forgotten about the significance and sacredness of this week.

This week should be about Christ.
In a garden across the oceans, our Savior prayed and suffered for each of us.

It was the greatest gift any of us could have ever asked for.

Today, perhaps the greatest miracle occurred when our Savior rose from the grave.
He overcame the powers of death and of sin.
He did it all for us. For you. For me.

"Sacrament Meeting" by Doc Christensen

We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from those things that are of eternal importance.
Take the time this weekend to reflect, remember, and express your gratitude for the Atonement and those blessings that truly matter.

I have shared this song before, "In Christ Alone." But I wanted to share a few of the lyrics here.

"No guilt in life, no fear in death,

this is the power of Christ in me.

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny.

And as He stands in victory

sin's curse has lost it's grip on me

for I am His

and He is mine

bought with the precious blood of Christ."

One of my favorite talks is "None Were With Him" by Elder Holland. 

In the talk, he pleads, "This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ  'at all times and in all things, and in all places that we may be in, even until death,' for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone."

Christ knows you and me personally. He understands whatever we are going through. He loves us completely.
He will never leave our side, though we may depart from His for a time.
Let us remember to walk with and stand by our Savior every single day, and especially this Easter Sunday.

My banner will be clear.
I will not be ashamed.

adventure time

I love sunshine.

Almost as much as this kid does.

via

We had a solid two weeks of warm sunny spring weather.

Oh how I envy everyone else on spring break. BYU does this really great thing where we don't get one of those.

I made the best of it and sat on my tiny cement porch to study and work in the sunlight.

Though I did still love the random snow fall a few days ago...

Finals are in three weeks.

I am so not ready for that. But I am also past ready for the semester to end.

And all I really want to do is go on an adventure and take a break from reality.

My family is in Washington, D.C. without me.

Seriously. 

They went to one of the most important historical sites in the world without the history nerd of the family.

I'm not bitter at all.

My cousin is in Oregon.

All of my extended family is currently on spring break.

As previously mentioned, most of my friends are heading out on their missions or off on fantastic study abroad adventures.

In the mean time, I will be here. in Provo. 

Studying and working as always.

Such is life.

In the mean time, I guess this will suffice.

But seriously. 
Who's up for some fort-building and coloring?
You will be my new best friend.

long time no see

It's been a while. I know you've missed me.

Classes, work, friends, and life just got a little crazy.
Here are some ramblings on life right now.

My cousin, Chantel, gave her farewell talk on Sunday. She is heading off to the wonderful state of Washington to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so proud of her, and so excited to hear about all of her adventures as a missionary!

other events:

• all of my friends got boyfriends, girlfriends, or mission calls. twitterpation season anyone?
• fireside by Elder Bednar. go and watch it. right now.
• Ward Conference.
• doctor appointments in Salt Lake, along with a Temple Square adventure.
• aced my midterms.
• the full Les Mis movie soundtrack was released. yes, that definitely counts as an exciting event in my life.
• scripture study group with Devon, Lyndsey, Brittney, and Sean. awesome people.
• got a new calling. Relief Society Presidency. y'all better get on your visiting teaching now... I will hunt you down. just kidding. but not really.
• Brittney moved in with me!
• visits from extended family members and cute cousins. 
• one blind date.
• finally saw The Hobbit. so good.

It seems as though every single one of my friends is leaving soon.

     One to Jerusalem.

     One to Texas.

     One to California.

     One [actually, several] to Brazil.

       And then there are the people who have their significant others...

Summer here should be interesting without all of them here to keep me entertained.

But honestly, I am beyond excited for them.

Particularly for those heading out to the mission field.

I really do have several incredible friends who will still be here. PARTY!

I couldn't be more grateful for every single one of them.

my current musical obsessions:

"Twenty-two" 
originally by Taylor Swift

[way better] cover by Eclipse

Mormon dads singing a Taylor Swift song a cappella and showing off their awesome dance moves? I can't get enough.

"Once in a Lifetime" 

by Landon Austin

Just a sappy love song that melts my heart.

I absolutely love the temple.

The Provo Temple has become one of my favorite temples, simply because of the time spent there, the experiences I have had, and the people that I have grown close with through going to the temple. It is an incredible blessing in my life to be able to have a temple so close by and to be able to attend regularly.

A few days ago, Devon and I went on an adventure to do baptisms in the Salt Lake Temple.
It was an incredible experience. Slightly intimidating and awkward to have no idea where to go or what to do. 
It was lovely to not be quite so rushed and to just take in the beauty of the temple. I am so grateful for the peace, comfort, and guidance I feel each time I attend.

...and just a little something that made me laugh.

"Life is short so tell someone today that you love them.
But life is also terrifying and confusing, so shout it at them in German."

Keep smiling. 

Be awesome. 

Have a lovely day.

perfect days

The sun is shining.

There's a slight breeze.

A coat is optional, and I soak in the warmth of the sun.

I can just stand there and take a few deep breaths of [what feels like] clean, mountain air.

Life feels as beautiful, peaceful, and ready for a change as the oncoming spring season.

"All you need is that perfect song 

on that perfect drive to feel infinite."

Or just on a perfect day.

Friday went something like this:
Sleeping in.
Cleaning, studying, and listening to some calming music.
Lunch then a trip to the Provo Temple with Devon.
Picnic up in the mountains.
Movie night.
Talking with friends.
Studying and journal writing.

I essentially ignored life for a day. And it felt absolutely wonderful.

Today I went back to reality.
or something like it.

We had Stake Conference relatively early in the morning.
I took a New Testament exam. Which I did way better on than I had anticipated.
I walked in the beautiful weather, gazing at gorgeous mountains.
I sat outside on our little front porch and just studied for a few hours.
Dishes, dinner, and sing-a-longs with Devon.
Wreck it Ralph.
Dance party. To songs such as this, this, and this. yes, I do actually listen to music besides country. 
Home to get ready for tomorrow.

Great friends, gorgeous weather, mountains, and time in the temple.
Basically, the past few days have been my kind of perfect days.

As much as I love winter, today got me pretty excited for warmer weather, singing birds, and sunshine.
Not to mention lovely flowers and green-covered mountainsides.

I also have the sudden desire to go on a hike.
Or a road trip.
I'm good with either. or both.

time to rewind

I have been going through some serious withdrawals recently.
Freshman year. 
Please come back. 

I need to see these people way more often than I do.
Or write to them more often. Since basically everyone is leaving on a mission now. If they aren't already gone.
Oh how I miss having these people only a few doors away from me.
Freshman year gave me some of my best friends and happiest memories.
There are some days I desperately wish I could go back to the dorm life.

"How lucky I am to have something

that makes saying goodbye so hard."

Winnie the Pooh

We are going to have the greatest ward reunion EVER.
In two years once everyone is finally back.
In the mean time, I'll just sit at home, write missionary letters, message you girls on Facebook, and watch our ward slideshow a million times over.

Oh by the way, a big welcome to the month of March.

WAIT is it really March already?!

Time flies way too quickly here.