Boo Ya.

I'm pretty sure I passed my first Calculus test of the semester.

Not only did I pass, but I got an A! 93.8% is pretty dang good.

I'm happy. I mean, who wouldn't be?

I love you all! Keep being stellar!

Walk It Out.

Do you ever have those days when you have no motivation to do anything? When you sit on the couch and think to yourself, "Why don't I have a life?" Well, that was today. After I got all my homework done (Calculus...woot) I sat on the couch and was lazy for an hour, and may I tell you that sitting down staring at a computer screen for a few hours is torture! I felt like I was gaining pounds and increasing my risk for a heart attack by the second! Gross...

So I decided to take a walk. I had already taken a walk earlier in the day, but I figured since it was dark, it was time for another experience. So I bundled up and put on my raincoat and ventured out into the rain. I am super glad I did.

I hardly met a single person on my entire walk. Campus was completely empty and dark. The rain fell and embellished the silence of the night. The bell tower rang out on the hour and added an eerieness to the calm scene. I let the rain fall on my face and I splashed in puddles. On my walk back to the apartment, I spotted a gentle stream of water running next to the snowbank. I pulled out my camera and snagged this picture.

There's a certain beauty to the rain. It's like everything is being given a gigantic shower. If only the water was a little warmer.

I love you all! Keep being stellar!

And a special shout out to my cousin Michelle, who recently had a new baby boy, Packer. Best wishes and congratulations!

Love.

Falling in love with another person is overrated.

This is what I love. 

Nature is my true and forever love.

Stay With Me.

Stay with me until I fall asleep,

Stay with me.

Kiss it all better,

I'm not ready to go.

Stay with me until I fall asleep,

Stay with me.

Strength.

Am I strong enough?

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'" -Eleanor Roosevelt

I can do anything. ANYTHING.

God will give me the strength. I know it.

25,000 Pennies.

Imagine going to the bank and saying, "I need 25,000 pennies. I'm making a counter."

When I eat bananas, I always smear some on the inside of my pants.

So guess.

Truth is truth, even if you choose not to believe it.

Who makes up these games? Old people.

Laura, you're just a sticky person. "Help! I'm stuck to everything!"

You should start a quote wall. Just imagine peoples' concern when you suddenly laugh at a wall.

Hey! We play Rummikub! Does that mean we're old?

The time is now.

Hold your horses. Because even horses need to be held once in a while.

Clap your hands and say, "I believe!" Hey, it worked!

I'm pretty sure I love my cousin, Laura. Thanks for such a great night cuz! I love you to pieces!

Just like I love you all! Keep being stellar.

Arise.

It's 12:30 as I'm writing this line. Why am I up so late, or perhaps, why am I up so early? Well, I just got back from one of the best stomps I've ever been to. The music was clean, the people were kind, and the atmosphere was just plain fun. I'll never experience another stomp like an institute dance.

As this week draws to a close, I want to share a personal experience that I've had and a lesson I've learned.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, but He always has a purpose.

Over the Christmas break I devoted some of my time to practicing the music for the upcoming spring musical. I spent hours on the piano making sure I was prepared to accompany some of the best singers on campus. When my first day came to work, I was nervous and a little scared. I wanted to impress people. As the director walked in, it took her a while to realize who I was. She told me soon after that she didn't need me anymore because the were going to use to tracks to rehearse. I was a little shocked and upset that I didn't get to do something I was excited and prepared for. I walked out with a heavy heart and songs that hadn't been played.

The next day came and I got a call from my roommate that he needed someone to accompany him for his audition for the institute choir, Arise. I rushed to the institute and we practiced his number. My sister also came in and asked if I could play for her as well. I couldn't refuse and the next thing I know I'm in the audition room playing "On My Own" while my sister sang. After she was done, one of the panel members leaned over and asked, "Are you auditioning too?" I told her that I wasn't. She told me that I should definitely try out. As I walked out of the room, I was prompted by several other people to audition for the choir. A few minutes before I accompanied my roommate, I decided that I would indeed try out. I chose two hymns that I enjoyed and walked in to sing. As I sang, I knew that I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to sing praises to my Lord and devote my time to uplift others. After the auditions were done, I stepped out and  knew that I could do it.

Today before Friday Forum, we checked the list to see if we made it. I heard my name called and smiling faces looking up at me. I had made it! My roommate and my sister both made it too! I was thrilled and I realized that I was so excited to sing. The Lord had made a way for me to do what He wanted me to do.

For some reason I wasn't meant to accompany the musical. I was meant to sing in a choir full of kind people who would become my friends and be excellent examples to me. I was meant to Arise.

The Lord has touched my life as He will surely touch yours.

I love you all. Keep being stellar.

Back in the Swing of Things.

Ah...back at school. This next semester is going to be such a grand one, I can feel it. I'm all excited to learn some psychology, calculus, and hone in my drawing skills. Gonna be great.

In lieu of the new year I felt the need to update you on a few things in my life.
-I got a job playing the piano for the school musical. I will be accompanying the cast at all rehearsals and I'm very excited. For those who are curious, the musical is "The Drowsy Chaperone."
-I've been sustained to be my YSA ward's executive secretary in the bishopric. I feel honored to hold such a calling and I only hope I can do my best to serve the Lord.
-I've officially declared myself an architecture major. Let's hope it lasts!
-My mission papers have begun, but since my availability date is far away I cannot yet submit them. A few more months and I should have my mission call.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll keep you posted on any breaking news as it unfolds.

Remember: To love another person is to see the face of God.

I love you all! Keep being stellar!

I ♥ You.

I truly do.

Dancing Justly.

My post title for this evening was originally entitled, "Just Dance," but as that is too common and highly revealing, I decided to switch the words around just a tad (idea courtesy of Yoda). So now you have to think about what comes next. ...... Done thinking? Good, 'cause I'm moving on.

Over the past ten days I have become a beast at Just Dance 4. I have spent an agglomeration of time (too much to admit) becoming an epic dancer, or so I think. My goal today was to gain all of the high scores to each of the songs and as of 4:00 today, I am proud to announce that I am one short. BUT, that's still pretty impressive, I must say. The most impressive fact is that I got over 11,000 points on two songs. Good luck beating those scores!

Okay, now I sound quite haughty. Forgive me for my ignorance and for my tangential nonsense.

I've thought back a lot on my Winter Break as it draws to a close over the next few days and I've realized that I am ready to live on my own. I don't rely on others anymore and it isn't hard for me to take care of myself. In fact, it's almost easier to take care of myself when I'm on my own. I find life to be more productive and beneficial when I don't have everything handed to me on a silver platter. That being said, I'm excited to head back to my home in Ephraim where I will work, go to school, and live my life. Don't get me wrong, I love being with my family, but it is about time to go.

I don't have much else to say tonight. Be prepared for an upcoming Lessons Learned post in the next few days!

I love you all. Keep being stellar!

{Exordium}

Another new year. Another year of resolutions. Another 365 days of adventures. Another 8,765.81 history-making hours. Another 525,949 minutes used or wasted. Another 31,556,900 seconds that could change your life forever.

Daunting, eh? Just think what our lives would be like if we used every one of those 525,949 minutes in 2013 to better the world. Even if you took out 8 hours or 480 minutes a day for sleep, or 172,800 minutes a year, you would still have 353,149 minutes to better the world. Let's say that you don't want to spend all of your day serving others because there are other things to do. So in that case, let's take half of those minutes and devote them to those other things, such as eating, driving, cleaning, etc. You now have 176,574.5 minutes to give to better the world. Wait what's that? You work too? Oh, well then let's divide that number by two and give you 88,287.25 minutes a year to give to the world. Sounds like a big number still? Well then, let's shrink it down. 88,287.25 minutes = 1471.45 hours = 61.310416667 days = 8.7586309524 weeks = 2.0143482924 months = 0.1678623577 of a year. That means that if you spent a whopping 4 hours a day doing service, you've only spent about 17% of your year helping others. Wow. What was the other 83% spent doing? Watching TV? Playing video games? Checking Facebook?

Now I'm not saying that we should devote that much time to helping others all the time. Goodness gracious that would get extremely exhausting and we would be forgetting our own life in the process. But think of this: if you or me, as an individual, spent one hour a week helping others, whether it be through scattered acts of service or through one big act, we could contribute about 52 hours of service a year. As of 2011, it is estimated that there are 6,973,739,433 people living on the earth. If each person spent this simple 1 hour a week for the entire year helping other people, our globe would be putting together over 363,872,289,265 hours of service a year!. These billions of hours of service translate to over 41,510,400 years of service done in one year.

That is absolutely mind blowing. As a society and as a world, we can do mighty and great things that defy time. Can you imagine how the world would change? I'll leave that to you to imagine.

So I ask you this: how will you be spending your new year? Small acts of kindness can reach great distances. Let us gather together to make this world a better place in 2013.

2013 is my exordium.

I love you all. Keep being stellar.

P.S. I did all of this math, so if you find an error, please let me know! Thanks.