Influences

So, this may just end up being a rambling post, but this whole topic has been on my mind for...well, pretty much the whole summer. How is it possible that a person can walk into another person's life, influence them in countless ways (or even just a few) and then simply disappear? Sometimes people leave by choice, which can be hard on both ends, believe me. Sometimes they are forced to leave, and sometimes life just takes you in different directions.

This has always been something that is difficult for me. I love people. I love my friends and family, roommates and wardies, and I wish we lived in a world where we could all remain friends, no matter where life takes us, that people didn't have to leave, where you could just keep meeting new people and still keep all of the old ones. But alas, there is not time or energy to maintain contact with every single person you have ever met.

But this is for all of you out there who have made a difference in my life. I hope you know who you are, even though most of you don't even know this blog exists. haha.

"Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same." -Flavia Weedn

Summer of my life

So, when I last posted, I'd kind of figured that my summer was over, that nothing else too exciting was going to happen in this summer that has been so amazing....but there has been SO much!

First of all, my best friend in the whole wide world got married!!!!! I love them both so so so much and it was incredible being at the temple to see them come out and then spending the evening with them at their reception. It was an eventful day, but it was completely wonderful! Mak looked so incredibly beautiful and Ed is such a stud..gah! They're just so perfect together. :) Now they are happily married :)

Then, a couple weeks later, Makayle and I had the amazing opportunity to go and see Josh Groban in concert!!! It was incredible.....like INCREDIBLE!!! I've heard people say that his voice is better live than on the CD...and they totally weren't kidding! He was incredible! I'll say this though; that boy likes to talk a million miles an hour with no breaths inbetween his sentences. haha. He had a little stage at the end of the floor though, so we got to be like a million times closer to him than we thought we were going to be, which was so cool!

And then....I went on this trip. With 7 other people. To California. To spend what would be one of the most magical weeks of my entire summer. Seriously, this trip was amazing! We were such a great group, very very minimal drama, and I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed Disneyland so much in my life. We sang in the lines (and yes, people stared at us, but some joined in!), we took a MILLION pictures, we participated in an EFY flash mob, I faced my fear of Tower of Terror...twice!, we had a spiritual experience at World of Color, took an album-full of awkawrd family photos, made a million memories and laughed a ton! Oh yeah....and we combed each others hair while hummming...sorry, inside joke. I won't bore you with all of the little details of the trip, but it was so much fun and I already want to do another one with them!

I really have been so incredibly blessed this summer to have experienced all of these things. I could never have imagined how this summer would have turned out, but I'm so glad it turned out the way it did! And although I don't want to start school again, and although I'll really miss my Utah State friends, I'm really excited to see what kinds of things this next semester brings! Boo-yah!!! :)

Upside Down

Holy bananas! I know that it's been forever and a half since I last posted. But wow!!! My life has changed so much in the last two months! It's been so crazy and I really feel like my life has been flipped upside down, but trust me, I am in no way complaining! I love it!

For the last 7 weeks I have been working for EFY (Especially For Youth) which is a camp for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is such an incredible camp and I have seen so many miracles, large and small. The Spirit can always be felt so strongly there and I know that I have grown so much from all of the lessons, classes, devotionals and testimonies that have been taught. The youth of the Church are truly amazing and I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the chance to work with them and to see them grow and to learn from them.

I have made SO many new friends this summer. All of the counselors that work with EFY are so incredible and they are so easy to love! I really made an awesome connection with my first team and met some of the friends that I call my best friends today. They are all so strong in the Gospel and are always there with a cheerful word to lift anyone around them or a crazy idea to have fun on a random day.

I really wish that I could somehow convey how much happier I am because of everything I have learned and how I have grown and how much this summer has changed my life. Before I headed off to EFY, I felt like I had had my summer and that I could go back to school. But now I never want this summer to end, because it has been one of the most amazing of my life. But I am so excited for the future, for plans that will unfold, new friendships, lots of laughs and even more learning. I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for this unforgettable opportunity this summer!

I'll try to post more often now since I'm home.....but I make no concrete promises. haha. Still, I love you all and hope you are having a great summer as well! Here's a few....okay, a lot of pictures to show you what I've been up to at EFY and hanging out with the counselors.

Counselors having fun in the car, singing at the top of our lungs. :)

I went and saw Harry Potter at midnight...and then again two days later with these wonderful people.


Day at the Hogle Zoo. SO much fun!

I love Kylie with all of my heart. She is the most amazing girl in the whole world!

Me, Maj and Jaron on the 4th of July

Getting ready for the firework show.

"We need Katy Perry! You can't have a fireworks show without 'Firework'!"

My completely awesome "brother" Matt. haha. We had pretty much all of the youth fooled. It was pretty funny.
Do you think we could be siblings?

Twinners!!! The Rebecca Suzanne girls! Love her!!!

My first group of wonderful girls!

Reading the love note to Spencer. hehehe. Possibly the funniest moment of my life!

Spencer and Kaitlyn. Such awesome co's! :)

Maj and I. Ya, we're crazy. But totally awesome!

Musical program my second week with Colby and Jaron. It went so well!!!

One of my boys, Chance, painting my nails. They looked really good too!

Pizza night #2!!!! We had the best dance party ever that night!

Little Parker! He was autistic and SO adorable! :)

"Brother Brigham would be proud!" haha

Me, Majken, Elise, Michael and Charmaine.

Somehow, Michael always seems to be the only boy among 5 or more girls. But I've never heard him complain....so..... :)

I've never been so scared in my life!

These are two of my favorite girls in the whole world! I'm SO glad I met them! They have changed my life in so many ways!

SO glad Majken was my roommate one week! It was CRAZY!!!
Laidee!!! Love you long time!

Happy Harry Potter Day!!! The youth were blown away by my magicalness!

The midnight Harry Potter crew....we may or may not have played truth or dare and written a love note to Harry Potter.

Meagan, Wyatt and I with the walkies. We are so cool.

Games night!!!

The best Quiddich team ever!

Cute Natalie! She's so great! :) And I really love her beautiful hair! Look at it!

I love my girlies!!!

The very last day/last week of EFY: the most intense rock/paper/scissors tournament EVER!!!

The Creeping Things!

There are SO many stories, memories and great times from these weeks. I love all my youth and wish them the best! But to everyone....remember to Believe. Hope. Endure. GO EFY!!!!!!