Shmem's Shenanigans

Update on Clint...well as of the end of last week he no longer felt like he was supposed to be in Texas anymore. I left on a whim and now has made his way across the southwest. He started by driving through Texas, made his way through New Mexico, Arizona, and then made a fun stop in Vegas. After a small set back of thinking he lost his car on the strip he made a quick stop in Death Valley California. He had no phone reception in Death Valley so he called his mother on a pay phone and had her let me know where he was. I’m not complaining here, anywhere is closer than Texas.

For FHE this week we had a great time doing karaoke with the entire ward. I will admit that is was the worst planned activity I have ever been to, but that is because it was my job to plan it, and I forgot all about it until that day. I haven’t been keeping up with my calling very much this semester, and I feel terrible about it. We have one more activity this semester and I hope to make up for the poor planning I did on this one. It was fun nonetheless. That is the nice thing about a student ward, they will make anything and everything fun as long as there are refreshments involved.

Good news! My Biology Lab was finally waived. I can officially graduate now without any problems. I have been waiting for that since the middle of summer semester. It was causing a bit of stress seeing as it was the only thing in my way of graduating, and now I have a straight shot, as long as I pass my Biology class. Two more tests and we will know!

My FHE sister’s birthday was this week. I took the time out to make Marylee a delicious meal, creamy chicken enchiladas. We then blind folded her and took her out to Chili’s to get a Molten Lava Chocolate Cake Dessert (my favorite!) It was a wonderful day, and topped off with a new boyfriend for her birthday as well. I guess she got more than she asked for this year.

The temple this week was great. I again had a chance to do a few baptisms while I was there. I just love the wonderful people I work with there. Every time I am there I find out something new about each person and learn a key bit of knowledge whether it is about gospel concepts or just good tid-bits about life. It is true, one year older and wiser too! I love getting those small bits of life lessons from the people here at the temple. I will always remember the beautiful things I learned here.

This weekend was fantastic. I had an opportunity this weekend to sing for the President’s Club Dinner at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City. We drove up from Rexburg Friday afternoon and caught a show at Hale Center Theater. It was a different rendition of Phantom of the Opera that we all enjoyed very much. That night we got to the hotel in Salt Lake and I stayed up for a while having “girl talk” with a few of the girls there. It was a great evening!

The next morning I woke up and headed downstairs for the free breakfast, ate and talked with Nik for a short while. I guess the rest of the group went to the temple. Mom came and picked me up so I could spend a little extra time at home. I did a little studying and practicing. Nothing I wouldn’t spend time doing at school, but there is always a feeling of comfort at home that I can’t get at school. As soon as Audrey got done with her violin lesson we practiced for our musical number in church. We can never take practices very seriously. It always ends up in the giggles. I don’t know how we ever pull these things off without laughing.

It is pretty close to Audrey’s birthday...kind of...so we convinced Mom and Dad that they wanted to take us out to Winger’s for lunch. It was just as good as ever. Audrey of course was glued to the TV screen watching the March Madness game. To be honest I couldn’t even tell you who was playing. I don’t know where she picked up her interest in sports, but she sure does enjoy a game.

I couldn’t stay much longer after that because I had to head back to Salt Lake to meet up with the rest of Vocal Union for our big evening. I found them in the underground parking lot and we all went upstairs to change into our performance clothes. We had a bit of time to relax so I called a few friends to catch up with them and then just enjoyed the view from a top the church office building. We soon had a chance to do our sound check. Everyone was so tired and groggy that practicing seemed to do us no good. Sis. Brower felt inspired to share with us an experience to help us portray the message of our song a little better. She told us about her son and how he was lost for a few hours at the age of 2. They eventually found him in the irrigation ditch, not breathing. Sis brower stood by as they waited for the paramedics. She told us how she felt the presence of guardian angels protecting her son. She wanted us to portray our message as if we were those guardian angels for those in the audience. We ran through our piece one more time, and it was amazing the difference that we felt.

Next we each got assignments for ushering the people in for dinner. I felt like a sister missionary again with my clean pressed clothes and a small tag with my name and who I represent. It was a nice little flash back. I led people to the elevator to take them to the open reception. I was coupled with Jonathan, which was pretty fun seeing as it had been a while since we had really talked. Next I got assigned to mingle with the patrons for about 20 minutes during the reception to help them understand the experience that each student has at BYU-Idaho. Then Adam and I got pulled upstairs to the 26th level to direct people to their seats for dinner. It was a wonderful job...especially when Elder Ballard walked out of the elevator. He stopped to shake my hand, and we had a small chat and laughed a bit. What a sweet man. After everyone was seated I found my reserved seat as “student host” amongst the donating patrons.

The dinner was amazing. I sat next to a couple from Alaska who was giving scholarship money to the school, a couple from Logan UT who also donated to the scholarship funds. I expressed my gratitude to them for their donations, seeing as I have had the blessing of having received a scholarship every semester up here at school. They had a lot of questions about my experiences here and about my view on all the changes. I enjoyed the chance I had to reflect back on my experiences here as a whole and evaluate the changes that I have made because of this school.

We got up to sing as soon as everyone had been served dinner. The room was so full of the spirit. We first sang an arrangement of Bring Him Home that Sis Brower wrote. It was so beautiful and uplifting. Adam had the solo and did an amazing job at portraying the message of home love. We wanted the context of the song to be slightly changed to tie into the concept of the atonement. After we finished that song Eva stepped forward and bore her testimony of the atonement of our Savior and we followed that with I Stand All Amazed (another arrangement by Sis Brower). There was not a dry eye in the building. Elder Ballard and his wife, President and Sister Clarke, and President and Sister Eyring were all thrilled with the songs we sang and each openly thanked us for our musical talents and testimonies. It was such a good experience for each of us in the choir as well.

After we finished our songs, President Clarke got up to speak. He pretty much recapped my entire experience at this school in just a few words. He is such an amazing man and has worked wonders with this school, while still keeping the beautiful feeling of the “Spirit of Ricks” that they always refer to. I love this school and am so grateful for all the wonderful things I have learned here. Next President Henry B. Eyring spoke to us. I know he was mainly speaking to the patrons and donors, but I felt at times he was looking right at me and telling me all the things I can accomplish after I leave the school. I got a little emotional thinking of leaving and having to go out on my own, but knowing what I do now, and reflecting on all the lessons I have learned here at school I can readily face the world. That doesn’t mean it will be easy, but I will get a chance to use all the wonderful skills and concepts I have taken to heart while being here in Rexburg. He told me, while speaking to everyone else of course, “You can accomplish anything you want with the help of your Heavenly Father.” I have heard those words before, but at a point in my life where everything seems to be changing it means a lot more to me. I will never forget the feelings I had that night being in the presence of a servants and apostles of the Lord.

After the whole dinner and program was done we had an opportunity to speak with each person there. Both Elder Ballard and President Eyring expressed their gratitude for talents and spirit, shook our hands and left. What a wonderful experience to end school with. So many people in that room were grateful for our testimonies shared through the music. They took the time out to come and personally thank each of us and wish us luck in our endeavors. I have never felt so grateful for my talents as I did that night. I know that I can change lives through my music and that is exactly why I chose to do what I did here at this school. There is no better feeling then sharing your testimony through music and knowing it has lifted someone up.

I got permission to stay behind the rest of the weekend while everyone else drove back to rexburg. I drove home on my own that night and met up audrey and Tiffany to watch Phantom of The Opera (the movie). You would think I have had enough of that this weekend. We didn’t get to finish it because of curfew, but enjoyed what we did get to watch.

Our musical number in church was good, but made me giggle, after we were done of course. We had planned so many dynamics, and breath markings, and for some reason all of that went out the window. Mom and the two of us would be the only ones to really know that though.

As soon as we got home from church Jenni, Mark, Payton, and Sadie showed up. I was so happy to see all of them. They are so fun and I miss them all so much. it had been about 6 months since I last saw them.

Sadie is just growing up so fast and is the cutest little Sadie-bug in the whole world. I love seeing all my nieces and nephew. The only problem is that it makes me baby hungry to have my own, but I guess that will all come in due time.

After our big family dinner with EVERYONE there we decided to take a walk around the bluff. We were the largest road blockade I have ever seen. Collier parade coming through! I don’t think I have ever seen so many strollers with one family.