Arise and Shine

Wow!!  I have learned and grown so much the past few weeks doing EFY. I have made many new friends and I've learned lots of parenting skills.  I have also learned to trust in the Lord and He has given me strength beyond my own to do the things that I need to do for my children at EFY. It's so awesome to see the change that happens in just a week with these kids as they learn to apply the gosple to their lives.  This whole experience has really strengthened my testimony too.  My girls strength amazes me, they all have so many hard things going on in their lives.

Not too mention that I feel so much more hip now.  I'm all up on what's cool with 14 - 15 and the 16 - 18 crowd.  I've learned a lot about the Bieb's and One Direction, COWs (crush of the week), and that apparently the music I grew up with in elementary school is cool again, especially Backstreet Boys and N'Sync!  It's pretty much awesome!!

These past few weeks have been some of the hardest weeks of my life.  I've gone to bed every night absolutely exhausted and woken up still exhausted.  But it's the best feeling ever.  I've felt tired for all sorts of reasons but the best tired is tired out from doing the work of the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength.  Because of that these weeks have also been some of the best weeks of my life.  I have seen miracles.  And I can't wait for more EFY weeks.

Basically the moral of the story is that I have the best job ever in the history of best job's ever!!!

'Nuff said.  

Enjoy the pictures.  :)

Cute note from an unknown boy to all the girls at EFY.

The Celestial One's

My Celestial Girls

Amore Girls

My Co-Co Fonzie

My Co-Co Kelsey and I

Me and Fonzie

Josh and Kelsey

Amore!!

What Has Gotten Me Through The Past Few Weeks Since Spring Break

1. My parents.  I'm pretty sure I've been on the phone with them a ton the past few weeks.

2. This quote from my Girls State days:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Nelson Mandela

3. "I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music. Yeah I've been playing this song over and over.

"I have confidence in confidence alone. 

Besides what you see I have confidence in me."

 

Now I'm just hoping to get through the next two weeks.  Two weeks.  I can do it.  

Quick Post

It's been a long time since I've blogged, and my life's been pretty crazy.  Here's a quick recap of the past month or so.

• EFY prep has been really cool.  I've learned a lot.  I'm a little overwhelmed at the thought of being a counselor, especially because I've never really done anything like it before.  It's another one of the many "first's" I've experienced this past year.
• I've got a new job.  I will no longer be calling U of U alumni asking them to donate money to the U.  Instead I will be working with special needs people helping them to get jobs or to work effectively in the job they already have.  I'm excited and nervous for this opportunity as well.  It's going to be another learning experience because I also have never done anything like this before.
• I've started volunteering with a hospice.  The little lady I help is so adorable and funny.  The hour that I spend with her on Sunday's is probably the highlight of my whole week, every week.
• I got a scholarship!  (woot woot!)  Yay for free money for school.
• I got to visit my family over spring break.  :)
• Community is back on NBC!!  :)
• Other than that my life has just been lots of school, homework, visiting teaching, volunteering at Primary's, vampire's stealing my blood (blood draws), roommate drama, and more homework.

Life Lately

This guy showed up at my ward on Sunday.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Yeah. The moment that I walked into Sunday School and looked over and saw him sitting on the back row I was shocked.  One of the craziest/coolest moments of my life. Elder Oaks has always been one of my favorites.  I feel like I'm so blessed, because not only know that there are prophets and apostles on the earth today, but one came to my ward, my Sunday school class which is something most people, even people not of my faith but who still believe that there were prophets at one time in the world, could only dream about. Elder Oaks didn't say much, but I learned so much watching and observing his example.  His actions spoke volumes. 

Later that day this guy came to the institute to give a fireside.

Elder L. Tom Perry

Seriously, two apostles in one day?!?!  How cool is that?  My roommates and I got to the fireside two hours early and sat on the 4th row right in the middle.  Elder Perry is so funny and the fireside was also very inspiring.

I have been busier the past two days then I have been the whole rest of the semester so far.  And I have a feeling this break neck speed is going to continue.  Writing final paper topics, FHE, final preparations to start volunteering up at Primary Children's, housing stuff, finishing up a project/presentation, studying for midterms, job training, doctors appointments, academic advising, scholarships, and working on other homework have kept me busy the past two days. Two of the guys I'm going to be working with look like certain stars.

Buddy Holly

Matthew Lawrence aka Jack Hunter from one of my all time favorite TV shows "Boy Meets World".

Awesome right? And going to my academic advising I realized that it's not too long until I'll be graduated and thrown out into the real world.  Crazy!

Basically, life's good.  

That's all folks.

I don't know how people do it

This summer has been me just working and then hanging out at home. That's all I've done, with few exceptions.  This has made me realize something.

 I don't know how people do it.

 I realized that for many adults, that is life.  Work then go home then go to work again.

It seems rather depressing to me.

  And really, boring.

Basically the moral of the story is...

I need a life...

And friends...

The end.

Really?!?!?!

Really?!?!
 Really pool patrons?!?!
Does it really take ten minutes to decide between an Air Head or a Laffy Taffy?!?!
Really?!?!
  And really?!?!
Do you not realize that food actually has to . . . COOK!?!?!
Because it does.
And I know
A minute and a half is a REALLY long time to cook!
I mean really, could you be a patient while it cooks and not get in my face?!?!
I  realize that you're hungry but can you wait that whole minute?!?!
Really?!?!
Have you never cooked your own food?!?!
I mean really?!?!

This has been Really?!?! with Kelsi

I think . . .

I think that there is a reason for everything, even if we don't know what the reason is.

I think that patience is one of the hardest things to learn, but one of the most important things in the entire world.

I think I can.

I think I can.

I think that the sun is shining right now and it makes the snow sparkle beautifully.

I think that people come into your life for a reason.

I think that people leave your life for a reason.

I think that someday, my turn will come.  Someday.

I think that I need my work ethic back.

I think I need my confidence back.

I think I need to start working on homework.

It's been a long time

It's been a long time since I last blogged.  I don't know why I struggle with blogging so much, but I do.  Here is what is new since the last time I blogged.

1. My major - I changed from Pre-Med to Child Life Specialist.  Basically I'm going to be helping kids get over the emotional trauma of hospital visits and procedures.
2. I've moved back home for the summer.  Yay for no rent and free food!! And I get to chill with awesome people at home too.  :)
3. I turned 19.  That one sneaked up on me.
4. I've been working ALL the time, earning lots of money.  And I'll be spending all that money in late July and August.  Yay for college!!
5. I just got back from a vacation to Hawaii!!  It was gorgeous!!  I got to snorkel, kayack, visit Pearl Harbor, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center (and fall in love with a Maori warrior, but that's another story haha), meet up with old friends, and spend lots and lots of time on the beach, working on my tan of course.  :)

Yep that pretty much covers my life. I've decided to set a goal to find something to blog about at least once a week.  And I'm going to try to keep my camera near by so hopefully I can add some pictures to this blog.  But I'm not a very good photographer so we'll see how that goes. That's all.

The Weekend!!

I guess all of my stress paid off in at least one of my classes!!  I got a 93% on my first anatomy test in my anatomy lecture.  I couldn't be more stoked!!
This weekend has been really good.  I got to go home!!  I'm a homebody so I love going home for the weekend.  It wasn't exactly a stress free weekend, but it was definetely stress reduced.  :)  I worked for ten hours this weekend at my job at Sand Hollow Aquatics Center (Shac).  It was great to see my work friends  and I was able to get a lot of homework done, while earning money.  It was a win-win-win situation!! The only bad thing was that we had lots and lots of irresponsible parents and their wild children at the pool.  But that's a whole other post for another day. 
I'm hoping this week will be a really good one.  It's missionary week at Institute so I'm going to be on a media fast.  I only have an hour left before I have to stop the media for the rest of the week.  It'll probably be a really good thing, and I'll probably be able to get more homework done.  I'll be doing other missionary-ish things as well this week.  I'll let you know how it went, next week.  :)