It has definitely been over a month since anything was posted, but life has a way of constantly throwing us for a loop. I finished up finals at my third semester at BYU. I was seriously so excited to not fail. World History was kind of up in the air, but thank goodness I passed with the minimum requirement to not fail. Pretty ecstatic. I am now only two years away from graduating!!! Whoot, whoot. Though I should probably now knock on some wood and pray I am able to get into all the classes I need to.
In between all the studying and test taking, my roommates and I definitely made sure to still stay up until midnight laughing and playing card games.
Like this picture for example! This was probably taken around one in the morning, way after when I should have gone to sleep. Yet we were having too much fun to stop. It is moments like this that make me grateful for them. I could not make it through the ups and downs of 2015 without their encouragement and love.
Not only did I finish up the semester in the past month, but I also went back to visit my mission! It was so exciting and such a blessing. I went back with one of my former companions, Sister Jicha and it was quite fun. I saw the beach for the first time and since we were no longer missionaries we were able to play in the water. Goodness, those beaches are beautiful. Many pictures were taken, but I will only include two.
As part of this trip we went to visit two of Sister Jicha's other areas before getting to Baker. In all honesty, that portion of the trip was extremely difficult for me. It was hard to see all of these wonderful people she had met as she continued her mission while I had only had one area. There were times I felt inadequate and like a failure for returning home early. Many prayers were said and calls to my parents were quite frequent; through it I was again reminded that there were specific reasons things happened as they did.
Eventually we made it to Baker, Florida and it felt like coming home. I was so amazed at how comfortable I felt being with those I had grown to love during the nine months I had served there. I felt such a peace being there and any doubts I had felt about myself simply slipped away as I enjoyed delicious food, great people and wonderful Baker fields.
We were lucky to have lots of fun experiences such as seeing baby goats, going shooting and the main reason we went to Florida attending the wedding of a sweet girl and a great guy! It truly was so fun.
It was a wonderful trip and I was so grateful for the opportunity I had to go back. I can't even begin to express how blessed I was to have served in the Olive Branch. The members there were so caring and so thoughtful; they kept me going when there didn't seem like much to continue for. Baker, Florida really is like a tiny piece of heaven here on earth.
Since coming back to Utah, I have tried to stay busy and remain productive. I am still living at college, working and trying to be social. It isn't easy, but I try. My roommate and I decided to actually be social and attend a ward activity. We were going to go classic skating and I surprisingly did well. I didn't fall, which is an accomplishment for me! (Aren't we cute?)
My roommate didn't have the same luck. One unfortunate fall the wrong way and we were on our way to the emergency room. The poor girl ended up with a fractured ankle and many more troubles than we could have imagined when we started the night.
Moral of the Story? Don't be social.
As I watch her struggle with simple tasks, such as walking, I realize how quickly things can change as well as how many things we take for granted. Like, if I wanted to I could go for a run, or I can skip down the street. Each of us has our own trials and they truly are perfectly tailored to our needs.
This girl is my hero though. She is going through so much, yet she is still trying to stay positive. Each problem that arises, she tries to face with a brave heart despite any concerns she may have. We've looked for what can be learned, and continued to laugh at the little things we can. Each day must be taken one day at a time, and as I'm learning sometimes even one hour at a time.
Life certainly isn't easy, but there are so many moments that make it worthwhile.
