Missing U5

bahahahaha!!

Let's do this!!

Click on the smiley face to read all about it! :)

In other news...I just got back from an interview with Barnes & Noble. It went good; we'll see if I get a call back. Keep your fingers crossed, please!

I got to see all of my wonderful friends at 5th Ward yesterday morning!! It was so great to see everyone again! But boy, has that ward changed a lot! It's huuuge!! The Relief Society fills up the chapel, haha! I also went to my new ward in the afternoon, and I came home happy! :) Yay! I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable there, and I'm seeing more and more familiar faces each week. The talks were really great, too; one gal who spoke had just returned home after serving a mission in Nauvoo, so she shared some of her experiences from that, and Brother Calton, one of my favorite institute teachers, talked about General Conference.

And that reminds me, I never wrote a post with my thoughts on the last Conference! Oops! So in a nutshell, it was A-MAY-Zinnng. As always. :) One thing I especially noticed, though, that I don't remember doing a whole lot in previous conferences, is that I laughed a lot from things the speakers said. I hope that doesn't sound bad, I had my serious moments, too, haha! I just found myself laughing a lot more with the speakers...maybe I'm understanding Mormon humor better?? Anywho, it was kinda fun to be feeling the Spirit so strongly, but also to have some of those lighter moments, as well.

I will write some more thoughts on Conference in my next post, but I've gotta run now...love you all and hope you're doing fabulously!!

Call Me Irresponsible

Woohoo, I've made it to 11 months!! I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since my baptism...crazy!

I like making lists; it makes me feel very accomplished when I can check something off as done. :) Sooo here are some goals I hope to accomplish over the next few weeks up until my favorite day on the calendar.

• Go to the temple at least once a week. Attending the temple regularly is something I need to work on. I love the temple, but I guess I just find myself "too busy" to go, or "too this" or "too that" or whatever. By the way, most Americans think that "whatever" is the most annoying word to ever be put in our vocabulary. What do you think? Kind of a funny story, I was getting ready to go to the temple one night, after having been maybe a week or so before, and my mom asked what I'd be doing there. I told her I was going to do baptisms, and she went, "a-GAIN???" (I don't know if she said it that loud, but it sounded pretty loud to me, haha.) I really do love the temple, and I want to make it a part of my life...I don't want it to seem like a big deal or an event whenever I go, I just want to go.
• Get the nerve up to ask my mom if she wants to talk to the missionaries. We'd talked a little bit about the possibility before the move, and she said "maybe." I wonder if that's another one of the most annoying words...it's not yes but it's not no, it's just in between.
• Be a better example, especially to my family. This one's on-going. Chris definitely keeps me on my toes, especially with the WoW...if I pull out a Coke, he yells out, "Bad Mormon!!" haha, oh brother. :)
• Speak up more in Sunday School and RS.
• Make a major decision about my mission. This may or may not be accomplished by November 15....we'll see. The major decision being when to put in my papers. My savings account is looking pretty sad right now, so I'm thinking I won't have the $10,000 I'll need by March...or April...or May...or June (I don't know when exactly I would have to have the money...but you get the idea). So I may go ahead and just wait until closer to my 22nd birthday...my parents would be a lot happier, and it would give me a little more time to prepare myself. Again, we'll see.

I wish I had more goals, but my brain is not working for me right now. If I think of more, I'll add them, and if you have any thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them! :)

I love you all, and I'm so grateful for my friends. I hope y'all know how much I appreciate each of you.

P.S. I have a job interview tomorrow; please pray for me!!

P.S.S. The title has nothing to do with this post. It's been a weird few days and I just have Michael Buble going through my head.

What do you do?

What do you do when one of your friends is having a hard time and all you can do is sit on the sidelines, even though you want to step in and help?

What do you do if that same friend is the one who introduced you to the Church and the gospel, and it's looking like we're finally going our separate ways?

I'm relying on my testimony of the gospel now more than ever to get me through this. After all, the people who show you the way are important, but it's the message that really counts. And I know that I have a Friend in Christ, and He will always be there.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end...

Samantha Crowe

On Saturday, October 10, my family had to make the hard decision to put one of our babies to sleep. We all knew it was time. Mom and I didn't go to the vet, but Dad was with her till the end.

Sam was as much a part of our family as any one of us, just like our other 3 kitties. We loved her to pieces, and she will always have a special place in our hearts. She was with us for a good long 15 years; we got her as a kitten in Jacksonville.

The hardest part is waking up in the morning. I don't remember for a bit, and then it hits me. And the tears come. I try to keep my crying time to when I am alone, so that Mom doesn't have to see. She was especially attached to her.

Dreamin'

So late last night or early this morning (I couldn't tell--I was asleep), I was having a dream. Not of California or sugarplums. But of my mission call.

I had the envelope in my hands, and my family and I were sitting in the living room. I slowly pulled out the letter, and read aloud, "You are assigned to labor in the...Chile Earl Grey Mission." Maybe I went to bed hungry last night??

I kept reading the letter. I was supposed to report to the MTC on September 42 (yes, 42 as in forty-two)...and then I realized that...wait, we're already in the month of October!! And then I realized that I wasn't even 21 yet...and then my parents told me that they had changed their minds, that I couldn't go on a mission after all...

And then I woke up.

And then I realized that I still have five more months to the day before I can turn in my papers.

Oh yeah, and I quit my job (in real life, not in my dream). So I'm on the hunt once again...but I feel like everything's going to be ok. :)

Happy Conference Weekend!!!!! :D

Counting down!!

*ahem*

General Conference is in...SIX DAYS!!!! And guess what the topic was for the talks in sacrament meeting today?? Hmmyuppers. How to prepare for conference. Here's my list of what I'll be doing to prepare!!

Before Conference...

• Pray for the speakers, so that they will be guided by the Spirit, as well as for myself, so that I can be ready to hear what they have to say.
• Fast. I'm thinkin' Wednesday will be a good day...
• Buy a notebook/journal so that I can take scrupulous notes. (I love that word..."scrupulous.")
• Write down some questions that I hope to have answered next weekend.
• Meet with the bishop...
• Invite my mom to watch a session.

During Conference...

• Get up early, get dressed up, and go to the stake center to watch the sessions.
• Pray some more.
• Pay attention!!
• Take scrupulous notes. :) Also, write down any personal goals I would like to accomplish over the next six months.

After Conference...

• Apply it!!
• Share what I learned with my family.
• Write a post about what I got from the sessions.
• Give an issue of the November '09 Ensign (when it's available) to one of my friends.
• Review my notes frequently.

So what are you doing to get ready for Conference???

I'm still getting used to my new ward. I think it's going to be awhile before I feel like it's "my ward." I've met a few people, and they seem nice. But so many people talk and text and other things during the meeting...which is a little frustrating when you're trying to focus. Remember in Pride and Prejudice, Mormon version? "I'm trying to feel the Spirit!!" ha! Anywho, I think I met the bishop today, but I'm not positive...I told him who I was, but he didn't tell me who he was. So...I guess for now I'll just assume he's the bishop.

When I came home after church today, Mom said I didn't seem as happy. "You're always so happy when you get back from church." *sigh* I guess I'm just really missing 5th Ward. Hopefully it'll get easier the more I go.