Get Connected!

Well, spring break is nearing its end and I'm feeling incredibly prepared for next semester. If you would have asked me a week ago, I may have told you otherwise. This past week has been such an uplifting and building one for me! The first few days of spring break were spent cleaning, practicing, and enjoying Cami's company. One of the days I remember talking to Cami about how little children are so imaginative! I had watched "Finding Neverland" and I started to remember when I was little and use to imagine I was a wizard or a pirate and go on grand adventures! We were talking about why we didn't do that anymore; we never really did come up with an answer. The next day we watched a five year old girl, Sienna, who was just a big ball of energy! She was so excited to do anything and everything! We played a few games--Candy Land, and Shutes and Ladders--we made a fort, we pretended to be monsters, we had tickle fights, and then we watched a movie. After those few hours, I understood why we didn't do things like that anymore . . . it's exhausting! But it was so much fun!

Wednesday is when my schedule really started to pick-up! I went in to get ready to help in the office and start my job, but they didn't need me to work that day. Instead, they needed me to be an I-Rep. Without hesitation I took it! I didn't really realize that I would be giving up five days of working . . . but I think I would have accepted it anyway! It has been absolutely incredible! That day was the most fun I've had in a long time! I mean it was so physically demanding that I loved it! We played games--things like "Tree, Rock, Bridge"; "The Sponge Game"; and several others--were taught what our responsibilities were as I-Reps and I-Team leaders. During lunch we had a banner competition. We were each given a long sheet of paper and a theme and we had to make a banner for it! The theme was "BYU-Idaho". This is what ours looked like:

We decided to make a time-line that showed the stages of a young man from pre-mi (before his mission) to his marriage. I do believe we were tied for first. Since we tied, we had to do rock-paper-scissors to determine who would get to choose our talent show talent. We, unfortunately, lost. However, we got the song anyway! So, we ended up re-writing the words to "O, Holy Night" so that it applied to a Freshman. I ended up dictating it and it turned out pretty good. I'm not going to lie, I was so tired by the end of the day I just wanted to go to bed! As soon as I got home, I crashed! I just went straight to bed I was so tired!

Thursday was just as eventful, if not more-so! We did a scavenger hunt all over campus . . . but our wrists were tied together! It was absolutely insane! (By the way, when I say "we" I'm talking about my mentor group. It's a group of I-Reps and I-Team leaders) We ran all over campus; from the Taylor to the Hart, to the Library, back to the Taylor, into the top of the gardens, and back down to the Taylor. We took third place in getting back! It was incredibly difficult, but also incredibly funny! I don't know if you've ever tried running around a college campus with your wirsts tied together, but it's difficult! One of these days I'll get some pictures of it.

That day we also participated in the Spirit challenge. We were blind-folded and taken to a part of campus that I wasn't quite sure of; I mean, I had an idea, but I wasn't 100% sure that I was right. Before we started, I knelt down and prayed that I would receive an answer to any questions I had. In particular about staying in the Fall. I kept feeling like I was going to stay, but I continued to have doubts in my mind about it. I prayed that I would feel peace and that if I wasn't meant to stay it would be quite obvious. Also, since our theme was "Walk in His ways", I prayed that I would know how to do that in ways that I haven't been. Right after that, the music started. That scary, worldly, music that talked about child pornography, teen pregnancies, murders, news reports about how people were angry about what Elder Oaks said, and so on. I knew that I needed to move, but I wasn't sure where. I strained my ears, because I knew that I needed to listen for the prophets voice. To be honest, I heard the strangest thing. As I listened, I heard dissonance--the sound of two notes clashing together--and I knew that something was wrong. It was cool! I knew exactly where I needed to go because the Spirit cannot dwell where there is more love for the world than God. I went toward where I heard the dissonance and I found President Uchtdorf's voice speaking to me about air planes! I also found the iron rod and followed it. I never let go; there were times when I stumbled and fell, but I continued to climb up the hill. At one point, I needed to walk through pine trees. That worried me a little bit because I am allergic to pine needles, but I continued to go upward. When I made it to the top and was welcomed "home" the hymn "Be Still My Soul". I felt an overwhelming sensation of peace about life and continuing school in the Fall. I know that everything will be alright and everything will work out for the better. I'm very excited about it!

Get Connected started the next day and it has been so rewarding. It started off really slow; we were registering at North and South Gate. Unfortunately, those are the newer complexes and they don't have a lot of new students there. What was even worse was that whenever we would ask students if we could help them move in they would decline us in a very rude way! They would say things like "No, I don't need your help." It killed me! That was why I was there at that moment, I wanted to help! After several hours three people let us help them move in. I was very excited about that! These past few days have been incredibly rewarding! I love this program with all my heart! It's a fantastic way to serve and it's so enjoyable!