The Lord's Hand is in It

Week one . . . DONE!! I'm so excited for this upcoming semester! My life isn't nearly as crazy as it has been in the past (which I think is good). I've had time to talk to people and to help them! It has been amazing! One of the biggest reasons I have time on my hands is because I have an extra five (plus) hours a week to do what I want! It's excellent! I didn't make the Collegiate Singers this semester, and that's what I want to write about now.

I made call-backs and I was feeling a little excited about it! I had the opportunity to go to Africa and I love to travel, so this was exciting for me! I got some of the music for the call-back the day before and that made me a little apprehensive. But, nonetheless, I got together with some people that same day (Sunday) and we worked on it for a few hours! By Monday, I was feeling pretty good about it all! I had  the music memorized (for the most part) and I was getting the notes! Call-backs were AWESOME! I felt so good about it! Brother Kempton put us into octets and had us sing some of the songs. I got to sing twice, which made me really excited (I felt that I sang the easier one first, and then the second time I got to sing I got to do the hard one)! I felt that I did really well!

Then we sang in our sections (I was called back as an Alto II). Brother Kempton didn't take very long with any of the sections, except for mine! I, again, wasn't feeling bad about my voice or anything (and I don't think I had a right to feel bad about my voice). Yet, after he finished with our section I had the impression "Sarah, you aren't going to be in Collegiate this semester and it's okay. I have something better in store for you." It was incredible! I felt peace about not making Collegiate (and the list hadn't even been posted yet).

Well, later that night, Brother Kempton posted the results and my friend--Logan Hendricks--went and looked at it with me. Sure enough, my name wasn't on the list. I felt relief, love, and peace! It stunned me because, in all honesty, I thought I would have been devastated about not making it. Nope! However, it wasn't until two days later that I really found out why! My sister, Deborah, received her mission call to Korea Daejon Mission and she reports to the MTC on April 17. Guess where I would have been if I had made Collegiate during that time . . . Africa! I wouldn't have been able to spend time with my sister before she left.

I know that the Lord's hand is in it and that He has something better in store for me! I know that the Lord directed Brother Kempton because I didn't tell him about my sister leaving. God is amazing and I love Him so much! Who'd have ever thought that I would be happy with that? I know I didn't think I was going to be, but I am! It has been really cool being here in Rexburg and continually feeling the Lord's hand in my life! I'm grateful for the chance that I have to see my sister off when she leaves in April! I'm so proud of her and I love her very much! :D