What Counts?

Hey friends!

I've signed up for all of my classes and I've got a car all to myself that I inherited from my dad's side of the family. It's our old family car that we've had since I was five years old. It's pretty cool that I get to drive it nowadays. Also, my keyboard showed up for my surface. So far, it's working pretty well and I love the color. It's bright blue and I couldn't be more pleased with it. I'm thinking about getting a wireless mouse for it when I head up to college. It might be easier that way rather than having a mouse pad.

My recent concern has been-- what friends am I taking with me into these college years? Recently, one of my guy friends reached out to me and said that he was going to BYU-I this fall! I referred him to my building of course because he was still apartment hunting, and it sounds like we may or may not be hanging out more come this fall, if we're in the same building and all. Of course the main point of moving out on your own is to make new friends. Especially as a brand new incoming freshman.

Another problem has been the Dress Code for this school. I'm finding more and more that I don't have the proper wardrobe going into college. I've gone to Walmart, Plato's Closet, and Runway to find a couple new outfits for college because what I have won't suffice for what's up ahead. Apparently I'm not allowed to wear T-shirts up on Campus. So that's kind of a problem seeing as T-Shirts are basically the only thing I own. So I bought a bunch of long-skirts and a couple of dressy/button-up shirts and I need some longer dresses for college, too. The biggest temptation has been all these cool T-shirts I've found while shopping for clothes that match my dress code. Or finding good dressy shirts that aren't exactly modest. Thank goodness for shrugs and undershirts and other modest adaptations to what would otherwise be qualified as immodest.

My friend Rachel, who's moving in a couple weeks (SAD!), told me that I should invest in buying a ring so that I don't get hit on as much in college, so I might just get a cheap little ring to put on one of my fingers to reduce the amount of potential flirts who are faulty ring-checkers. It'd be preferred to get a silver band with a green emerald as the stone. Dating will be a trial up on campus. Especially with a boyfriend leaving on a mission soon. Up until he leaves, I can't accept anybody who asks me out. Not that I'd be remotely interested with him still being here anyways. Any dating opportunities I want to give to first and primarily Jared. He works a ton, so he's hardly free, so my Saturdays, (if and when I'm free) we'll have to hang out.

Institute, on the other hand, has been very nice despite not having Jared there with us. I've continued to stay close to my friends from RHS, and been able to keep that Seminary-esque atmosphere. For anybody thinking about Institute, there is no question. Institute is amazing. If there's anything that will anchor you in this wonderful LDS church and build you up to be a spiritual giant, it's this class. With rotating instructors, we learn more and get multiple testimonies with each and every meeting. It's not just about all the things you've learned about in Sunday School. This class builds on prior knowledge and helps you to learn a million more new things! I completely recommend this class for anybody who wants to get more out of their Wednesday nights.

On another note, road trips have also been a thing. I drove my dad to Hailey, Idaho the other day for a business trip and also drove to Ogden, Utah with my mom yesterday. I've come to really like road trips because they help you to really get to know the person you're traveling with. So it's been a blessing to drive with both of my parents on these trips. I got to open up to them and talk and listen to all sorts of music. Thanks mom and dad.

Speaking of family, my brother, his wife, and I have gotten pretty good at going to the temple on a regular basis. We go multiple times a month! I really love the way that building makes me feel inside. I forget myself when I'm in the temple and it becomes about whoever I'm doing baptisms for. I really feel their presence and the veil becomes thin in the temple. It truly is a house of learning and realization. I always leave the temple feeling happy and peaceful. I look forward to the day when I get to be sealed to my eternal companion there.

With all of these experiences, it's easy to lose sight of what's really counts but I've found that as long as you're continually centering yourself in what's really important, you're sure to win. Sunday, I was the only one who got up in time to go to church. So I went by myself. Normally, I would just go back to bed after seeing that nobody else was up, or if I really felt like I needed the sacrament that day, I'd text a friend and ask if they could come pick me up. But no. I came just by myself. It was a little lonely at first, but as soon as the meetings started I felt the presence of the spirit with me because that's what counts. 

What really counts in your life? For me, it's been this gospel, family, my education, temple visits and quality relationships.