Camp

Hi Y'all! So it's been insane here in Idaho. I truly have been on facebook for minutes at a time and have not really been on a computer, so sorry for the delay! Well, the hour is upon us when I shall depart for camp! Tomorrow at 6:30am I get to meet everyone I'll be working with for the duration of the summer! So for this, my last post before camp, I'll do two lists: 1. What I've learned thus far in the west and 2. My favorite parts.

Thus far in the west I have learned:

1. My Heavenly Father loves me so much. I need to trust him. He hears my prayers. Even in the bottom of a canyon next to a mountain, he still cares

2. I am a city girl who thinks she's country! No matter how country I thought I was in Chicago, I am city out here

3. I just need to be myself and people will love me.

4. The spirit felt in the Naperville YSA can be brought alive anywhere if I am willing to bring it! The Salt Lake YSA was so welcoming and inviting and loving! They invited me to do things with them, it was wonderful! But I had to be friendly for the first five minutes...it can be anywhere if you bring that spirit of unity and inclusiveness and friendship with you!

5. The culture is very different, but people are people. We all feel hurt, happy, sad, loved, lonely...it exists everywhere...even in "zion".

6. It's important to be forgiving, even when you don't want to.

7. To go with the flow...sort of...I still love plans :(

8. I am beautiful, intelligent, kind, and loving...and worthy and capable of being loved in return.

9. It's ok to let other people take care of you when you are sick, or alone, or even just don't have a ride to the grocery store. They are blessing your life with their service, and God will bless theirs....so let them be blessed and be humble enough to accept help.

10. AND Eating healthy feels so good as compared to heavy foods! The Lord will bless us in following the word of wisdom, not only for what we don't do but for what we DO! Be active in your life! Follow him, don't expect him to stand still! He doesn't work that way...it's a very active pursuit to keep up with Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost! They are heading for your future...you just have to keep up! Don't just pray...DO! And do whatever it is JOYFULLY!

My favorite parts were:


1. Mill Creek Canyon

2. Lake Jenny, Grand Teton National Park

3. Driving through the cornfield with Tiffany to see the Ghost swing and abandoned silos

4. Eating lunch with the Bison at Yellowstone

5. Hiking along the rapids through the snow and rain at yellowstone

6. Journaling in Porter park in Rexburg

7. Little Lemhi scout camp training....SOOOOOOOOO Much fun!!! Oh my goodness, I wish I had pictures! It was so much fun!

8. Salt Lake YSA

9. BBQ with Bethany and Tom

10. Backstage Rooftop Garden Tour on the roof of the conference center...this is what happens when you have an awesome guide who knows you're a tree hugger

11. Talking with the sister missionaries at the visitors center...and then seeing sister nion at the conference center and already having someone in salt lake to hug

12. Going to the Church history Library and helping them believe and find the impossible find!

13. Finding my Great-great-great-grandparents marriage in a parrish record book on micro-film at the family history library!

14. Meeting so many wonderful new people and friends

15. Getting to see all my friends I haven't seen in forever

It's been a whirlwind here in UT and ID but I've learned soooo much. It's been like coming home! Well, this is my last post for a while. I'm off to church and then to Idaho falls for a night and tomorrow's camp. I'm nervous and excited. It's going to be a rough ride for the first few weeks, but I'm in for the summer of my life! Once I learn to kayak well :) and I lose my city girl attitude and become a country river rat!

Next saturday I may not be able to post, not sure about internet, so until next time...Love God, Love yourself, and Love you neighbor....and SMILE! I love you all!

Goodbye Utah

Unfortunately, my time here in SLC is coming to a close. Tonight, I went up to a place called Mill Creek Canyon. We had a bonfire and made peanut butter smores and watched as the sun set over the mountains. I was able to go to the church history library, family history library, the information center, and the conference center. I got to take an extended tour of the garden atop the conference center b/c they found out how much I loved plants! I had the pleasure of learning the complexities of the building and seeing beautiful original works of art. There is so much beauty here in Salt Lake. As I sat, scared about my future, I looked up at the stars and realized I am protected, loved, and on the right path. I have met so many loving people. I was priveleged enough to go to a benefit concert for the phillipines, play fast and furuious uno, a garden BBQ, and watch many many movies! It was wonderful to get lost in microfilm looking at my great-great-great grandma and grandpa's marriage record in the parrish book! I loved amazing the people at the church history library, finding info they deemed impossible to find! It made their day apparently! I loved being at the benefit with so many people that I didn't know, but feeling like a part of it! Best of all, I love the fact that people here care about me! People who barely meet me, seem to care...and people I've come to visit really care! I felt like family here and I am so grateful for that! Tomorrow I go to the Singles ward here in SLC, an adventure in and of itself! I will for sure write about that! lol...Overall, it has been a very successful adventure here in SLC! It's beauty as we drove up the mountain tonight moved me to tears. I felt so close to my heavenly father tonight up there on the mountain next to a stream, sitting in a canyon,
staring up through the trees at the stars....and He still saw me there! Alone in the bottom of a canyon, He still sees me, knows me, loves me, comforts me, and protects me! I am so grateful to be here! On OUR adventure!

UTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm finally here in Salt Lake City Utah!!!! And it's soooo pretty! The Mountains,flowers, the temple, the weather, the people, even the traffic! I've been staying with my friend's family and they are absolutely wonderful. It's been a great chance to slow down and relax. I have a cold, so it's been a forcable slow down, but a much needed one nonetheless. I have been so anxious lately but from the time I stepped off the plane, my heart has been at peace. I feel like my journey is finally beginning and I am finally where the Lord wants me! Its a wonderful feeling! I've
gotten to see several friends and some of downtown salt lake. I laid on the grass under the temple and felt the breeze blow by. It truly brought peace to my soul...as if I didn't have a care in the world. Its been beautiful weather and b/c it snowed on monday, the mountains are unusually snowy and majestic for this time of year. I'm getting all my necessities for camp and pretty soon get to go do baptisms for my ancestors! It's so exciting! I also get to meet the family of one of my elder's and get to see the elder who baptized me for the first time in a year! I got to hang out with Karina and watch tangled, made homemade muffins with Bethany and her sister,
have had wonderful gospel centered conversations and I feel like I'm learning and growing so much already. On the plane on the way here, a gentleman asked if I was mormon, and I replied, "Yes". It was the beginning of a new identity. I can be mormon, I don't have to be catholic, I don't have to be who I was! I get to start brand new and embrace my identity as a mormon...no questions asked! I can leave all my negative drama at home and go up to camp, happy, healthy, mormon, and ready to learn!