Manti Temple

I went to the Manti Temple today for the first time. It is such a beautiful temple! It is also VERY different from Timpanogos - the only other temple I've ever done baptisms in. It is SO SO much smaller. But I really loved it. It is simple, but you still feel the spirit just as strong, and for me maybe even a bit stronger than I've felt it other times. It was kind of a humbling experience actually. I've been so lucky to have temples so close to me all my life. Yes the Manti Temple is very close to me here in Ephraim. But for other people, it is the closest temple to them and its like and hour or so away. Also, I've only ever gone to the Timpanogos temple for baptisms (like I said before) and it is quite a large temple in my view. So going from a place that is so big, to such a small place was quite the experience. A very good one. :)
The temple workers were so incredibly nice. There weren't nearly as many workers there as there are in the Timp Temple. They were amazing. Such cute old people! They thanked us for coming so many times I honestly lost track of how many times they did. In Orem, so many people go to the temple, but here in Ephraim - or Manti - not too many attend. We had to call in advance to let them know we were coming so they could make sure that we had someone there to help us.
Inside the temple was beautiful. Like I said, it was very different, but I loved it. It was different than anything I've ever experienced. While we were sitting on the bench waiting to start, one of the temple workers decided he would remind us of the importance of attending the temple and why it was such a great and amazing thing that we decided to come. I had never heard someone explain it the way he did. He said,
"There are women up in heaven who are shouting for joy that you girls have come today. They are saying, This is the day, Finally it has come. They have been waiting a long time in the afterlife for someone to do this work for them, and it is finally their turn. If you had not come today, they may not have been given this great blessing today. They would have had to wait another day, or week, or year to have the work done for them. This work you are now doing is so important because it is the first step. It opens the doors to everything else. Without this ordinance the other ordinances aren't possible. You are saving someone by being here today."
Now he didn't say it in those exact words, but it was very close to that. I loved it and as soon as he said it I thought to myself, I'm not only going to write that down, but I'm going to share it. Because I don't know about any one else, but that stood out to me because I'd never heard it explained like that. It really struck me and helped me understand the importance of going to the temple and doing the ordinances. How it is important to go often because you may think "someone else will go" but if you don't go, someone in the afterlife has to wait longer to have that joy and that blessing.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share that because it really meant a lot to me. I am very excited to keep attending the temple, especially the one in Manti. I love going there and feeling the spirit so strong. It is one of the best feelings in the world. I'm so grateful that I have the gosple in my life. I don't know where I'd be without it.

forever & always,

me.

It's Snowing!

I am officially a college student. I moved down here to snow on Monday this week (yesterday) and it kinda feels like I've been here for longer than one day. Yesterday was quite a long day because we had to go shopping before we drove down, which took FOREVER! Then we had to stop by Krispy Cream because we still had our report cards from last year and had not yet gotten our donuts. Finally, we started the hour and a half drive down. Dallin was with me in my car while Ashlyn drove my mom's car so she could get some more driving time.

As soon as I pulled in my friend Katie and some guys she knows helped me move all my stuff into my room along with my family, because I am not allowed to lift anything more than 10 pounds due to my surgery on August 11th. Which is starting to be a huge problem because I am wanting to re-arrange my room to make it seem a bit bigger (because it is SOO incredibly tiny) but I can't lift anything because everything weighs like a thousand pounds, give or take a few. I was very appreciative that everyone helped me move in. I honestly thought I wasn't going to have enough room for all my stuff, but somehow we got it all to fit and it looks pretty good. It doesn't look cluttered or like I stuffed everything somewhere. I have a nice view out my window. Most of the apartments have a view of the other apartments, but mine is the very end one so I have a view of a cute little pathway, some trees, and the road. It is the perfect creeper view ;) I also like it because the sun doesn't shine into my room in the morning so I can open my blinds and the window, making it nice and cool, then in the afternoon I can shut my blinds and turn on my little fan and it stays cool.

Last night I was up in Katie's apartment with her and her roommates and we played Apples to Apples. It was a lot of fun. Some of the guys in the apartment across from theirs came over so we got to meet them. I'm excited to be able to meet more people. I think this is going to be a lot of fun. But after a long day of moving in, I was so tired. I tried to fall asleep but there was just so much on my mind that I was having trouble falling asleep, and also it is always weird trying to fall asleep in a bed that isn't your own. But I finally fell asleep.

I kind of wish I could have been in the same apartments as Katie and her roommates because I know most of them from Timp and they are all so fun. My roommates are fun, but a lot of the time they aren't here, and when they are it is kind of awkward and everyone is kind of quiet. Which I'm hopeful that that will change as the year goes on because we'll be getting to know each other a lot better, but right now it is kinda hard not feeling quite comfortable to talk to them. It makes me a little home sick.

I never thought I'd really get very home sick, but I've realized that I probably will. Especially because Ashlyn and I have grown so close that we're always talking and telling each other things. It is going to be so different and hard not to tell her everything when it happens. Also, it is way different living on your own, I find myself constantly thinking about money (mostly the money that I don't have) and worrying if I'll make it a month, or a semester or how ever long. Everyone keeps talking about what they have to buy - food, books, fees, etc.- and it scares me to think of how poor I actually am. Hopefully I'll make it. I'm hoping to be able to get a job in the intramural sports, so at least some money will be coming in and I wont just be watching all my money disappear. I'll probably also go back to the dentist and orthodontist down here and let them know I'm here (since I came down last year to give them a resume) and just let them know if they need any help I'll definitely help. Maybe they'll even hire me for like a once or twice a week thing. That would be nice. I don't know, we'll see I guess.

Honestly, I'm going to try really hard to keep up with blogging and have fun with it. My new life should - hopefully- be a lot of fun and a whole new adventure. I just need to hang on tight and enjoy the ride.


forever & always,

me.