Time is Love

My friend Westin Stagg got home from his mission on Wednesday.  He just called me.  I'm the happiest person in the world right now!

It's been awhile since I last posted anything.  

4th of July:  I spent it in Richfield with my best friends Katelin and Tiana.  We did the Liberty 5K, watched the parade, hung around at the fair and got friendship rings, had lunch with Kate's family where we fell asleep and Kinsley took pictures of us, watched the Bachelorette,  had dinner, went on a bike ride, watched fireworks, and had a sleepover.  I loved it!  I love Richfield and I love those two girls.

After the fourth:  I drove to Bountiful.  I spent Friday night making pies and other treats for Emi's bridal shower.  Saturday morning was the shower and it was way fun.  Then later that night my family and Holly's (Andrew's fiance) family had a barbecue.  We had food, talked, and then played this game called "Do you love your neighbors?"  It was pretty fun.  We're all pretty competitive to say the least.  Sunday I went to Danner Kjar's homecoming and then came back to Cedar.

I feel for the most part the rest of my July has been marked by trips to places..

I went on a date with this guy Caleb.  He was nice but I didn't feel right about it...so I cut the cord there..  I spoke in church on pioneers a couple weeks ago.  It went well I guess.. I hate speaking though.

I spent last weekend at my roommate's cabin with a bunch of friends.  I made breakfast burritos for breakfast, sandwiches and homemade fries for lunch, and pulled pork sandwiches for dinner.  We explored Mammoth Caves and got all muddy, went on a hike at Cascade Falls in the rain, and then "swam" in a pond...but really there were tons of people fishing there so we just got weird looks from them since we were all wearing swim suits.  It was a really good weekend overall!  We did karaoke at the cabin too and it was so funny and so fun!

I left Monday night and went up to Salt Lake to look for dresses for Andrew's wedding.  I didn't find any.  But I got to spend the 24th in Bountiful and that's my favorite place to be for that holiday!  My neighbor did his annual firework show and I got to chat with my old young women's leader and see two of my guy friends from my parent's ward.  They're funny boys but I love 'em.  Wednesday I drove to Provo and had lunch with Tiana at Zupas.  It was delicious!  I love talks with Tinana Belle.

And pretty much inbetween all those things I've been working working working.  I love it but at the same time I really just can't wait to be on the beach, in the sun, relaxing and doing nothing.  I get to go up to Salt Lake again next Wednesday and have a bachelorette/birthday party with Emi and Des.  Then Emi's reception is Thursday and she gets married Friday!!  Saturday will most likely and hopefully be spent at City Creek with my besties and then Sunday I'm off to Cali with my family!!

OH! And my little sister and Bree's little sister are coming tonight and we're going to have a great few days with those girls!!  Maybe I'll actually get my camera out and take some pictures! ha

Have Confidence in Christ

This weekend has truly been an amazing one.  I decided to stay in Cedar instead of go with the boy to Vegas.  I also didn't want to drive to Manti alone, so the decision was made to stay with my roommates.

Friday night I got off work and we drove down to Sand Hollow to camp with a bunch of friends.  After being awaken at 6:00 AM the next morning we kinda got to be fully awake, gathered up our things, and then went to the St. George Temple.  It was just me and Megan for baptisms but it was so awesome.  The spirit was so strong.  It was really quick and the water in the font was pretty dang cold, but I loved it anyway.  We were out of the temple by 8:15.  We wanted to go to the visitor's center, but it didn't open til 9 so we sat on the temple grounds and just enjoyed the spirit and beauty and everything else about the temple.  There were two couples that were having their wedding photography done and the girls' dresses were gorgeous.  It makes me so so so excited to know that one day that will be me with my eternal companion.  When we got to go into the visitor's center finally, we spent a good hour or so there.  We watched God's Plan for the Family and both cried during it.  Then we were listening to the statue of Christ and His message of love for each of us.  The sister missionary of one of the couple missionaries came and talked with us and by the end of our conversation we were both crying.  We both felt kind of dumb for crying, but the spirit was so strong and it was just an amazing testimony of this gospel and Jesus Christ and the atonement.

Once we left there we went and got food at Harmon's because we were starved.  We then went to Target where we did a little shopping.  We also visited Gap, Old Navy, and Ulta.  We both decided that it was really amazing the things you could get done in the day when you wake up early.

Saturday night Megan's best friend Maddi came to hang out and spend the night.  Kendall came over and we went to Jimmy John's to have sandwiches.  Then we drove to Dairy Queen and got blizzards.  Then Kendall took us to his farm to ride his horse.  Irv was kinda rambunctious so I rode him for like a minute and then Megan did the same but Maddi was too scared.  We put him away and climbed up into a tree house.  I love Kendall's farm.  And I'm starting to like Kendall more and more as I get to know him better.  Then we came back to our house, picked up Kelli and went to the Tiki Shack to get snow cones.  But the Tiki Shack was closed so we drove down main street looking for another one.  We found one and the guy stayed open so we could eat shaved ice.  It was delicious!!  Maddi got sour spray on hers and was raving about how good it was.  So funny.  After we all had a sufficient sugar high, we came back home.  We tried to put in a movie but smartie pants me doesn't know how to work our TV haha..... We couldn't figure it out so we just played murderer in the dark (which doesn't work so well with just 5 people).  Then we were just talking.  Kelli left and Maddi and Megan decided to go to bed.  I thought Kendall was going to leave as well but we ended up talking for another 2 hours.  I really like talking with him.  His laugh is so dang cute too.  So I would tickle him just to hear it.  Then bedtime it was.

Today was fast Sunday so it was testimony meeting during the sacrament.  It went by so quickly and everything that was said was just so good.  Kelli and I ended up staying out in the hall and talking all of Relief Society, but that was okay because we never get to hang out and just talk and she's so sweet that it was a good talk.

After church Megan and I made chocolate chip cake mix cookies.  Megan asked me if I wanted to go outside and study with her so we grabbed our blankets and scriptures and went outside.  Megan has her mission call to the Puerto Rico, San Juan mission by the way.  So we decided to study in the Preach My Gospel book under "recognizing the spirit."  It was great to read through and discuss different aspects of the chapter and read scriptures that go along with it.  We were talking about bearing testimony and I told her that I had never in my life born my testimony during a fast and testimony meeting.  She was so surprised.  The next thing she read out of the book went something like this, "your confidence and faith should be in Christ, not in yourself.  Rely on the spirit rather than your won talents and abilities.  Trust the Spirit to guide you in every aspect of your work."  It's so true!!  If we just have confidence that Christ can get us through something, then we can do it.  I know that Preach My Gospel is for missionaries, but we can apply that to any aspect of our lives.

I'm so grateful that Megan is my roommate.  She is such an example to me and inspires me to want to go on a mission (which I'm pretty positive I am going to go on one now, surprise!  It's no longer just a maybe...).  I've made the goal to go to the temple once a week now instead of just once a month.  Even if it means that I'm waking up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning to drive down there and be back before I work, I'm going.  Megan is just a sweet special spirit and it just goes to show me that people really are placed in our lives for whatever reason because God knows each and every one of us and knows just what we need and when we need it.  I'm grateful every day for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings into my life.  It makes me really sad to think that I used to take it for granted.  The atonement is such a blessing in life.  It really is the enabling power of Christ.  It isn't just for repenting of sins.  It is there to help us get through the little things, like bearing testimony of Him.  Sundays really are the best days.