I Could Get Used to This!

So we've officially been in Utah for a month and it has been eventful! I just want to tell you that I love Provo! It has been a blast being here and seeing friends and learning and being back in school. I LOVE SCHOOL! I love the assignments, the challenges, being busy, the due dates, etc. I know, I'm weird, but I like those kinds of things, haha!

So last week James and I and one of our friends, Vanessa, went to Logan, Utah. It was fun! We went up for some of James's mission companion's farewell testimonies, because they were preparing to head home the next day. It was so fun to see him with all of these men that he came to know and grow close to. It was wonderful! We were also able to visit and stay with some other friends of ours! Laurin and Dillon (Vanessa's sister and bro-in-law)!

We visited Utah State campus (where James served on his mission)! We went to the Aggie A!

It was a blast! We had so much fun visiting people from his mission too! We visited some members he worked with and some Elders he served with. It was so fun to meet new people!

We also hung out at the Logan temple!

It is such a beautiful temple!!! Then we went to the departing testimony meeting and we loved it! It was like a mini mission reunion for him haha!

      

It was a fantastic weekend!!

THEN...

...this past weekend has been pretty normal, except I went to a bridal shower for SAMANTHA FREDRICK! We served in the mission together! I'm so excited for her! I can't wait to see what plans God has for her and her groom. They are going to do great things! PLUS her shower was like a mission reunion for us haha!!

               

New Things New Adventures... You know.

Soooo, I officially finished my first week back to school after TWO YEARS! I was so nervous the first day. I was thinking, "what if I don't remember how to do this?" "what if I don't know how to be normal?" I was freaking out! But of course, it worked out (it always does). My first class was Doctrines of the Book of Mormon. What a wonderful class to start of the week and start off the day. My professor is hilarious! We're learning more about the "inside" of the Book of Mormon. More than just reading from cover to cover, but studying and getting lost in its words. I LOVE it!

Then I had my Samoan class! Hahaha! That class is the best! My teacher is from Samoa and he is sooo funny! The class is full of a bunch of polynesian kids and we laugh so much (of course while learning haha).

Then there's my Family Finance class. I love that class too!!! I'm definitely learning in there. AND then there's my Accounting 200 class... First off, my professor is so great! She's funny and very passionate about helping us learn. The class has about 600 students... we have class in the auditorium.  So that's a little different for me, but I'm dealing with it haha!

Along with barely starting school and getting back into the swing of things, James and I have been on a crazy job hunt! And let's just say that the Lord is definitely mindful of all His children. We've been praying and praying for job opportunities and to get hired. After several interviews, God has provided for us :). I got a job at the Missionary Training Center Bookstore. And James got a job and a Pest Control company here in Provo. We are so blessed and we are so grateful!

Well, with all this newness in my life, I've noticed a change in myself. Not a change that I've wanted. I've noticed that I've been a lot more timid. That is not me! I'm not saying that I go up and talk to every person I see. But I'm usually pretty good at talking with others and introducing myself and trying out for clubs or teams, but that hasn't been the case with me. So I'm making a goal with myself and you're going to help hold me accountable.

My goal is to do the things that scare me. 

I know that I can't do EVERYTHING, but I going to try to do almost everything that scares me. Anywhere from asking an employee at Wal-mart for help, to trying out for the intramural soccer team (I'm not actually going to try out for the team--not because I'm scared--just because I don't want to and I don't have time haha, but you get my point). Anyway, it's time for change.

             

 

OH! And here are some more updates to our Utah adventures thus far! We've been to the BYU Creamery! Which is a must if you ever get the opportunity to come to Provo. And we went to the Provo temple, which neither of us had been to since we were missionaries. It was a crazy time capsule thing happening in my mind haha!! And there's this awesome old bookstore that sells a bunch of old/used books! It's so cool!

Lagoon Time or Jolley Time!

Our first Friday in Provo was so much fun! I got to see the Jolley family!!! They are amazing! The best family ever! MY family :). They took my husband and I to Lagoon in Utah. It's an amusement park/water park and it is soooo fun! We rode fun and thrilling roller coasters, got soaked by water, ate good food, and most importantly, spent a day with my favorite people! Classic Jolley time is what I like to call it :). I've missed them so much and I can't wait to go to Idaho to visit them!

                    

           

Big MOVE!

Okay, so change has been in our view this past week. Including our big move to Utah that I've been talking about for months. Mannn.... That was a long drive...

But we survived! Although, the view was beautiful! Driving through Colorado...

And up through southern Utah...

And we finally made it to Utah and to our cute little apartment! For those who don't know, we live in a basement apartment. It's tiny, but it's ours and we love it! 

New adventures are in our future! I can feel it! I start school in a week and I'm applying for a job at the MTC (Missionary Training Center). I hoping I can work there and if not, that's alright too! I'm just so grateful for the opportunity and to be here in Provo. We also went to our new ward today and it was so fun! A little family ward. I'm excited to be a part of it! 

I was also able to hang out with one of my companions from my mission yesterday! Alison Linford! She's hilarious! It was wonderful catching up with her and spending time with her. She gave me tour of BYU campus and took me to the good Provo spots! Love her! 

I'm so excited to be here! I can't wait to see what God has in store for me! 

(P.S. I'll post before and after pics of the apartment soon!)

Blast From the Past

Guess what! It's August 14th... you know what that means! Two years ago today I left my family, friends, and my life at home so I could serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a year and a half in Idaho. A mission that changed my life forever. Where my love and faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ was strengthened, where I shared my testimony with complete strangers, and then these strangers became some of my best friends, where I was tested, yelled at, cursed at, cared for, and embraced. A mission where I had a front row seat to seeing the effect of the Atonement in people's lives. Where I witnessed miracles; experienced failure and success. Where I felt the power of the Spirit, so much stronger than you or I, work through me, because my own was not enough. A mission where my weaknesses became strengths. Where I learned more deeply about the plan that God has for all of us. And where I had a burning desire to do whatever it took to help others know that plan too. A mission where I learned so much. And now, I'm still learning. But thanks to that wonderful mission; it jump started the rest of my life. I may not know everything about this life, but I do know that I have this time to learn what God needs me to. And I know where I'm going. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and can bring us even more and lasting happiness than we can imagine. See for yourself :)

When I got my mission call

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To fa soifua (goodbye)

I hate goodbye's... I really do.. But sometimes, that's what it comes down to, you know?

This last week in Oklahoma has been so much fun! Filled with family, adventures, good food and more! I could not be more grateful for the time I've had here.

Now if you don't know too much about Oklahoma, there's this great ice cream place that was started here and it's called Braum's. It's pretty good! If you ever make it to Oklahoma stop by there. Anywho, so I've lived in Oklahoma for a while now and my husband has work at Braum's for several years, but we've never been to the Braum's factory here in Oklahoma (the headquarters) where they give free tours and free ice cream. So we thought, what an appropriate activity for our last days in the OK state. We had so much fun watching them make ice cream, milk, fresh waffle cones, freshly baked bread, and a lot of other yummy foods. And we saw a lot of their cows that they milk twice a day and we learned how they get the food to the stores the same day the food is made. It was so fun! (P.S. I would've taken pictures, but we weren't allowed to.. Sorry).

Then we had a going away get together with the family. Those are always fun, but it was sad to start saying some goodbyes... I'm going to miss them all so much!

        

I love my family, and even though they couldn't all be there, I'll miss them all! But goodbye is not forever :). Thank goodness! 

My hectic happy 

Picture this!

What do you do when you're waiting after church for your ride to finish up with an interview? Well I don't what you do, but I make my husband and I have a mini photo shoot haha! for those who know, I LOVE taking photos, I'm not super good at it and I'm still learning, but I still have a lot of fun :).

We have too much fun! Haha!