I've considered this post for a bit now and to be honest I don't know what to say. That is quite unusual for me to be honest. I usually always know what to say, or at least what not to say.
The last week has been a very good one. It has been one of peace.
Saturday my parents and I drove to Logan, Utah. There we participated in a session at the Logan Utah Temple. I've really enjoyed the opportunities I have had to participate at the temple and I would highly recommend such service to anyone who is eligible to do so. After the temple, we attempted to go to the Pepperidge Farm outlet store but they were sadly closed. Hopefully, next time we'll be able to get the cookies we were hoping to get at that time. We soon returned from Logan and we spent the rest of the time just hanging out and enjoying a nice Saturday as a family.
Tuesday was Stake Temple day and as such I went with my parents to a temple session at 10am with my parents and then another at 7pm with my brother. In between I had lunch with my parents and the stake at the temple and dinner with my brother at Crown Burgers in downtown Salt Lake City. I also had the opportunity, while I was waiting for my bother, to walk around the campus of the University of Utah. I got to walk through the Library, the Union, and the Union Commons. Oh how I miss that campus. The Library is absolute beautiful now. The renovation work has been completed and it looks like it was well worth it. The Union and the Commons hasn't changed a bit since I was there but that is okay. I like the Union and I have many fond memories of sitting in the cafeteria with my buddies or hanging out at the Commons on the grass watching people walk by as I thought about doing homework. The University of Oklahoma has a very nice campus, but it is not my campus like Utah's is. After my short tour of campus, Chris and I went to dinner and then to the temple together. It was good to spend the time with my brother. Perhaps, for the last time, in such a manner. This isn't to suggest that I am dying or what not, but after my mission who knows where we will both be mayhaps we will be living in different states the rest of our lives.
Wednesday, I drove to North Salt Lake and met up with my dear Aunt Carole. Aunt Carole is my absolute favorite person in the world, but don't tell anyone I said that. She is the sweetest, kindest, and most sincere individual you could ever meet. I know for a fact that if I called my Aunt Carole for anything, she would do everything so could to help me fulfill what I needed. Either way, I drove up to meet her and then we went to the Bountiful Temple and I helped her stake do baptisms for the dead. I got the opportunity to baptize, confirm, and witness. It was a great opportunity and I enjoyed it immensely. I always love hanging out with my Aunt Carole, and I will miss her. My favorite memories of her is playing checkers with her. My family is very competitive and as such to win means you actually win. There is no gimmes. I can't tell you how many times my Aunt Carole and I have played and she has demolished me. Saying this though, I have beaten her before, but the record is still heavily skewed towards her.
Friday and Today my family has spent on the road. We left Friday afternoon for Cortez Co. in order to meet up with my Sister, Natalie, and her husband, Jacob. We first had to give Natalie her dog back. Pollie is quite the handful. She's a puppy. Meeting with Natalie and Jacob also gave me the opportunity to see Natalie and Jacob for the last time before I head out. Those two will go far.
I report to the MTC on Wednesday at 1:30pm. I'm super excited to report and I can't wait to start. The only consensus I've heard is that life is the not the same post-mission as it was pre-mission. To some extent, I'm pretty excited about that. In some ways, I'm a bit apprehensive about it. Either way as I have said many, many, many times before, I know what I'm doing is right and I'm extremely excited to do it. My parents will be taking me to the MTC on Wednesday and I know they are excited to get rid of me as well. The next few days will be interesting, hopefully I don't go too crazy.
I received my address for the MTC and it is:
Elder Nathan John Nielson
MTC Mailbox # 181
WST IND 0817
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
I hope I hear from you and I wish you the best. I will see you on the other side.
One Love
Nathan John Nielson
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
The fro is no more
It finally happened. The hair was too long and possibly no longer up to missionary code.As such, I had my dad cut it off the luscious locks that reside upon my fair head last night. I'll probably have to trim it once again before the 16th, but the hope is that I can keep it short enough to be manageable all the way through the MTC, that would be nice.
Either way a short recap of a boring week or so is required, at least I think it is.
The only major events that occurred this last week happened on Saturday the 29th. On Saturday, my parents and I drove into Salt Lake City and attended a session at the Salt Lake City Temple. The Salt Lake City Temple and the Manti Temple are the only two temples in the world that perform the endowment live instead of through a movie presentation. I felt the spirit that day in the Temple the strongest I've ever felt it. It was ever present and it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Interestingly enough, just before we got up and left and the end of the session a former seminar teacher walked up to me and said, "You look familiar where did you go to seminar at?" Definitely not someone I thought I would run into ever again and I must admit I don't remember a lot about the guy but it was a good occurrence none-the-less.
After the temple we went and had lunch together at Sizzler and that was a good time as well. I'm going to miss my parents perhaps more then I will miss anyone else. I know they have a love for me that is unconditional. My father has said multiple times and I believe him that his greatest achievements in his life are the achievements of his children. Not a day went by, maybe a few but definitely not many, that I did not talk to at least one of my parents last year. I'll miss them over the next two years but I will enjoy receiving their emails and I know they are excited about what I'm about to do. Love you two!
Saturday afternoon my family and AJ, Courtenae's boyfriend..., went to the Real Salt Lake game.
Real Salt Lake was playing the Kansas City Wizards and were on a four game winning streak so we expected to win and were definitely not disappointed. Real won 4-1 and it was a pretty amazing game. I fell in love with soccer when I was a senior in high school. I was home one day, presumably sick?, and I turned on ESPN2 to find Chelsea FC playing Liverpool FC in the champions league. I was so enthralled by the game that even though Chelsea lost on penalties I became a Chelsea FC fan forever.
Other then that everything else has been pretty tame. I'm only missing two items for my mission now. A umbrella and a camera. Other than that I have everything and I'm ready to go. If only I could go today. I still have 12 days before I report and I report at 1:30pm on the 16th. Up until then I have a few things to look forward to. First tomorrow, my parents and I are driving up to Logan Utah to attend the Logan Temple for my mother's birthday. Second the 8th, is stake temple day and that should be fun. The 9th I'm helping my Aunt Carole with her ward's baptism trip at the Bountiful Temple. That weekend the 11th and 12th, my family is driving down to meet up with my sister and to give back her dog to her. After that, I'm going to the Ogden temple on the 15th and then I report on the 16th. So I have a full slate of temple trips ahead of me but other then that it is just the same.
There is of course one more bit of business that needs to be discussed. Obviously, after I report to the MTC on the 16th I will no longer be able to maintain this blog as I do now. As such, I will be making this blog private and my mother will be in charge of it while I'm gone. She will be posting my letters on here for your reading pleasure. Since the blog will be private though I will need to invite you to read it. Email me or post here or get in contact me in some way and I'd be happy to invite you.
I'll post one more time before I report but until then,
One Love
Thursday, May 27, 2010
I watch the clock everyday hoping it'll speed up just a little bit faster + Talk
It's been just under a week so I thought I might as well update today.
On Thrusday the 20th, my family and I drove down to the Mt. Timpanogus Temple and watched my cousin get married. It was the first sealing I've ever had the oppertunity to attend. After the sealing, my cousin and her husband had a short ring-exchange ceremony before my family left. It was an interesting experience that I enjoyed. Its interesting because the core, and most important, parts of the sealing are the same as all over sealings. Because of this, my brother looked over at me after the sealing and mentioned that even though I wasn't at his or my sisters marriage, I now knew what my brother and sister's marriage was like. What an interesting thought. Although I understood the importance of a temple sealing and look forward to one, one day, I did feel like I missed out on watching Chris and Natalie get married to Amy and Jacob respectively when the marriages occured. I have to think it must be even harder for non-members who may not understand the importance of it, and or, may not believe in it's importance. I think what Chris said was inspired and I have to now agree. I don't feel like I missed anything now. It is a comforting thought to have.
Nothing to report on Friday the 21st at least nothing worth remembering.
Nothing really happened on Saturday until that night. Friends from Vernal Utah drove in and we had a pretty good night playing card games and having a good time. We played phase 10 with 7 people. The result was a crazy game with the winner having over 400 points and the loser having somewhere around 600-700 points. I finished a close second when a late round point acculmation hurt my chances pretty bad. Oh well! Perhaps next time?
Sunday was the biggest day of the last week. As most of you will know, before a missionary reports to the missionary training center (or MTC) generally the ward will have the individual speek. I received my topic on the 20th just a few short days before I was supposed to speak. The topic was on Elder Quentin L. Cook's talk at a BYU-I devotional. The topics title was, "Strengthen Faith as You Seek Knowledge." It was an interesting topic and one that required a lot of work. I struggled a lot and I had to really think about the topic. If it wasn't for timely advice from my father, who kows what direction that talk would have taken. For those who were unable to make it, or have requested my talk since, I have decided to publish it on Google Documents and it is available here for your use. After church, we had everyone over for dinner and had a nice evening talking with and interacting with the individual who had driven out to support me. I'd like to thank everyone who came out whether it was a 3 hour drive or a five minute walk it meant a lot to me. So Many Thanks to you all!
Monday was a bit more laid back and included a shopping excursion with Natalie and Jacob. Natalie and Jacob recently moved to New Mexico and into an unfurnished apartment. As such, we drove down to Ikea in Draper in order to purchase some furniture for them. Ikea is an amazing store and to be honest probably the first stand-alone store I've ever been in that required a map. After Ikea, we hit up Target and then returned home.
Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to spend with my father. I had a doctor's appoint in the morning and as such I rode in with my father and spent the day with him at work. We first attended a HP seminar at a driving range and then got to take a short private tutoring session at the driving range with a golf pro. After that we drove to the appointment where everything check out just perfect, like usual. We had lunch and then I sat in his office on my computer the rest of the day while he worked. We both had a lot of fun, at least I did, and we returned home around 5pm that night.
Today, or Wednesday the 27th, has been a bit of a drag. With nothing to do beside watch TV and play with the dogs, I've really done nothing today. The young single adults in my ward were supposed to go to the Go-Kart track and race but I guess I got the information mixed up as I either showed up at the wrong place or at the wrong time. I'm hoping things will start to pick up and I'll have stuff to do between now and the 16th of June. There are only 20 more days till I report and I can't wait.
One Love
On Thrusday the 20th, my family and I drove down to the Mt. Timpanogus Temple and watched my cousin get married. It was the first sealing I've ever had the oppertunity to attend. After the sealing, my cousin and her husband had a short ring-exchange ceremony before my family left. It was an interesting experience that I enjoyed. Its interesting because the core, and most important, parts of the sealing are the same as all over sealings. Because of this, my brother looked over at me after the sealing and mentioned that even though I wasn't at his or my sisters marriage, I now knew what my brother and sister's marriage was like. What an interesting thought. Although I understood the importance of a temple sealing and look forward to one, one day, I did feel like I missed out on watching Chris and Natalie get married to Amy and Jacob respectively when the marriages occured. I have to think it must be even harder for non-members who may not understand the importance of it, and or, may not believe in it's importance. I think what Chris said was inspired and I have to now agree. I don't feel like I missed anything now. It is a comforting thought to have.
Nothing to report on Friday the 21st at least nothing worth remembering.
Nothing really happened on Saturday until that night. Friends from Vernal Utah drove in and we had a pretty good night playing card games and having a good time. We played phase 10 with 7 people. The result was a crazy game with the winner having over 400 points and the loser having somewhere around 600-700 points. I finished a close second when a late round point acculmation hurt my chances pretty bad. Oh well! Perhaps next time?
Sunday was the biggest day of the last week. As most of you will know, before a missionary reports to the missionary training center (or MTC) generally the ward will have the individual speek. I received my topic on the 20th just a few short days before I was supposed to speak. The topic was on Elder Quentin L. Cook's talk at a BYU-I devotional. The topics title was, "Strengthen Faith as You Seek Knowledge." It was an interesting topic and one that required a lot of work. I struggled a lot and I had to really think about the topic. If it wasn't for timely advice from my father, who kows what direction that talk would have taken. For those who were unable to make it, or have requested my talk since, I have decided to publish it on Google Documents and it is available here for your use. After church, we had everyone over for dinner and had a nice evening talking with and interacting with the individual who had driven out to support me. I'd like to thank everyone who came out whether it was a 3 hour drive or a five minute walk it meant a lot to me. So Many Thanks to you all!
Monday was a bit more laid back and included a shopping excursion with Natalie and Jacob. Natalie and Jacob recently moved to New Mexico and into an unfurnished apartment. As such, we drove down to Ikea in Draper in order to purchase some furniture for them. Ikea is an amazing store and to be honest probably the first stand-alone store I've ever been in that required a map. After Ikea, we hit up Target and then returned home.
Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to spend with my father. I had a doctor's appoint in the morning and as such I rode in with my father and spent the day with him at work. We first attended a HP seminar at a driving range and then got to take a short private tutoring session at the driving range with a golf pro. After that we drove to the appointment where everything check out just perfect, like usual. We had lunch and then I sat in his office on my computer the rest of the day while he worked. We both had a lot of fun, at least I did, and we returned home around 5pm that night.
Today, or Wednesday the 27th, has been a bit of a drag. With nothing to do beside watch TV and play with the dogs, I've really done nothing today. The young single adults in my ward were supposed to go to the Go-Kart track and race but I guess I got the information mixed up as I either showed up at the wrong place or at the wrong time. I'm hoping things will start to pick up and I'll have stuff to do between now and the 16th of June. There are only 20 more days till I report and I can't wait.
One Love
Thursday, May 20, 2010
It's too bad we can't just call the game after you've won the first quarter.
Well we have arrived. Technically the arrival was on Sunday, but I've been too lazy to post until then (In actuality I had a whole post typed up before I accidentally lost it[Don't ask{No really, Don't ask}]) Either way here we go!
My last post was on the 3rd of May and was the night before the first final of the semester. On the fourth was Torts, the seventh Civil Procedure II, the eleventh Criminal Law, and the fourteenth Constitutional Law. I am one of the lucky ones. I feel good about all four test. I think I did the best on Torts and probably the worst on Constitutional Law. Torts was my best class last semester and I think I carried the torch as well as I could have. I was able to answer all the questions fully and even finished with a few extra minutes. Civil Procedure II left me with a semi-sweet after taste because I felt I nailed some questions but some of them were perhaps not as good as I hoped they would be, I still feel pretty good about it. Criminal law I feel pretty good about. It has been my favorite class this last semester and I'm hoping I did pretty well. Constitutional Law is probably the class I feel the worst about. The professor kept us to a strict 1000 word limit. This both hurts and helps. It keeps you focused and to the point, but it also limits the amount of material you can cover and conceivably portray a knowledge of. I feel good about it which is more then some can say, so I guess there is no use worrying about something I can't change. Grades will be released on the 14th of June. This means I'll have the good fortune of only spending at the most two days lamenting any bad grades that, hopefully may not, occur.
Other then that a few other things have occurred over the past two weeks.
On May 5th the Elder's Quorum got together and played Cinco de Mayo American Football. All that occurred was a bunch of guys got together and played touch football with each other. It started out fun but to be honest it quickly deteriorated. Certain individuals took the game too far. Either they yelled and became disgusted with other individuals or they refused to play with anyone but their select few favorites. Perhaps I sound bitter. Yeah, I probably do sound bitter. What can you do about it? I guess, I was a little disappointed with the individuals who lost their cool. I expected more but I guess, as I well know, we all slip up from time to time.
On the 7th of May I got the awesome experience to watch my older sister and brother-in-law graduate with their masters from Oklahoma State University. My sister and I have always been close and it was exciting to watch her walk up to the stage and then receive her diploma cover. As well, Jacob is a great person and he may fit into this family better then Natalie does (Just kidding Natalie). I know those two will go far in life and will achieve far more then they could have by themselves.
The next day on the 8th of May, I was up bright and early and my father and I drove to Yukon, Oklahoma to the Oklahoma City Temple. I received my endowments and that is an experience that cannot be replicated. After visiting the temple, my family and I had a final lunch together before my brother left for the airport and I had to return to Norman to start preparing for finals. It was a great day all the way around and we all had a really great experience, at least I like to think so.
The day after that was the 9th of May and also my last Sunday in Norman, Oklahoma for a while. Church was excellent and I got to receive the last temple preparation lessons from Brother and Sister Gorshe. I have taken the temple prep classes multiple times and it was nice to finally receive the capstone lesson. After church, I got the opportunity to hang with a pretty amazing person. Lena bought me both lunch and dinner that night and we also got to watch Up together. I love that movie and it has to be one of my absolute favorite Disney/Pixar movies that is out there.
Not a lot happened on the 10th as I was swamped preparing for Criminal Law, but the 11th was fun. After an entertaining Criminal Law final that included Winnie the Pooh and Piglet both shooting Eeyore and Elmo getting run over by a garbage truck being driven by none other then Oscar the grouch, I once again had lunch with Lena before getting a pretty nice afternoon off. I took Lena out for ice-cream one last time. That night and I gave Lena a present. To be more precise it was a Missionary Letter Kit. It contained 35 pieces of paper, 20 envelopes, 20 stamps, and 10 pens. I'm hoping I get to see the benefit of that gift.
To tell the full story of the 12th, it is appropriate to relate a story that has never been mentioned in this blog before. You see on August 23rd, the Sunday before the first day of classes, my family was still in town so they decided to come to church with me. After a good sacrament meeting, that I enjoyed, my family and I were sitting by ourselves when Sunday School started. Cara Bowers was teaching the lesson and she noted how there were so many new people in the ward today because of school starting. She then decided we should all introduce ourselves. I stood up and introduced myself followed by my father and mother. I soon checked out and wasn't really paying attention when my mother soon shouted out, "Are you Curtis' and Robbie's daughter?" A bit embarrassed, but not surprised, I started to pay attention. The girl, who's name I did not catch, looked back at my mother and said, "Yes." My mother got excited and noted how she knew the girls parents. On my third Sunday in the ward I decided I didn't want to sit alone during Sunday School so I walked over to one Ms. Lena Tenney and promptly asked, "I guess our parents know each other and I'd rather not sit alone, can I sit by you during Sunday School?" Since then we've ate many ounces of ice-cream, watched more complete baseball games then I've watched in the past few years combined, and have shared a plate of buffalo wings. We've had a lot of good moments together and on the 12th I got to take her the airport on her way home to Ohio. I picked her up at 9am and we made our first stop at IHOP for breakfast. After breakfast, we made our way to the airport and Lena got checked in. I left her at the security gate and away she went. Our relationship has been one of crossed-wires and missed-signals (Mainly by me, She's smarter then myself), but I'm glad we finally figured it out. I wish her the best of luck and I have no doubt she'll do amazing. I'm hoping I get to at least take her out on one date when I get back, but we'll see how it plays out. Later that evening, on the 12th, my parents(both grand and standard) went to dinner together before playing card games. I beat grandma and that is all that is important.
The 14th was my last final for the year and as stated earlier I feel good about it. After my final was over my father and I packed my car and headed out of Norman for the last time until after I get home from my mission. Before we left though, we made sure to make a stop at Braum's for one last hamburger. Norman has been my home for the past 9 months and I hope it'll be my home for at least another two years. The drive took 7 and 1/2 hours. We spent the night at my Aunt's house.
Saturday the 15th was spent in Albuquerque, New Mexico moving my sister and her husband into their new apartment.
Sunday the 16th was a long 11 and 1/2 hours drive from Albuquerque to Stansbury Park, Utah. It was nice to be home, but I do miss the crowd from Norman. We had quite a scary moment in between Moab and Green River, Utah. I was driving and looked down at the gas tank and realized that we were out of gas. Luckily, we made it to the only gas station in between the two towns. This is the second time this has happened to my father, my mother, and I. The first time was on our way to Norman between Denver and Salina, Kansas. I guess this means we better stop traveling together.
It's been a bit boring the last few days. I received my second immunization from Hep A/B and should be good to go and I also bought new scriptures. Only 28 more days until I report to the MTC. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this blog but I'm still mulling it over as to what should be done.
One Love
PS. As always, any grammatical errors not my problem!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Finals wouldn't be so bad, if I had nothing going on
So it begins...
Since law school on its own is not stressful enough it was decided a long time ago, probably around the dawn of time, that law school finals should be comprehensive, long, and entirely overly-complicated. Tomorrow marks the first exam of the spring semester finals and with that the long dangerous journey through finals weeks begins. It will ultimately cultivate in the completion of the first year of a three year voyage. We have Torts II tomorrow at 2pm, Civil Procedure II on Friday at 9am, Criminal Law on next Tuesday at 9am, and finally Constitutional Law on next Friday, the 14th, at 9am. Wish me luck as I will need a bit of it and a prayer or two wouldn't be turned down either.
Most likely my next post will be from the comfort of home in Stansbury Park, Utah. It seems quite a bit strange to consider that fact especially because of the attendant circumstances that surrounds it. My brother, Chris, and I had a great conversation about such yesterday actually. I'm really glad our relationship has grown and become much stronger since he returned home from his mission back in 2007 as compared to our relationship before his mission. Don't get me wrong, we enjoined a good relationship before his mission, but I think the two years separated from each other made me realize, at least, how important that relationship was. Since then we've had the opportunity to do countless activities together and to encourage each other to greater and better things, and occasionally to talk each other into things we shouldn't do. On of my favorite experiences with Chris involves when we were both working together at Discover Financial Services. I had started working there in early July and by late July, or so, Chris decided to come work there as well. Because our work schedules were congruent, we would drive in and out together and hang out. We had a lot of very good conversations and I remember one night, I was playing his Nintendo DS while he drove. He got caught up watching me play so much so that we missed the exit for Stansbury Park and had to drive and additional 45 mins that night. We had a good time. It should be a lot of fun spending some time with him before I ship out in June.
If you had asked me where I was going to be and what I was going to be doing last year about this time, I'm sure the answer would have been different. Saying this though, I would not trade away those experiences as I feel they have been both necessary and implicit in my development as a human being over the last year. Sure, things could have worked out differently and probably a bit easier had certain things come to pass but things happen for a reason.
At least I like to believe they do. As official church doctrine, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not believe in predestination. Predestination meaning that, in crude terms, there exist some giant master plan of the university and we all act as pawns with no-free will to carry out that plan. We believe that we do have free will, but I believe that our decision are influenced and certain events occur for ours and others benefit. Although I've always believed this, I was impressed by this on Sunday when a friend of mine, of whom I am quite fond, bore their testimony. As I have thought about it over on Sunday and a bit today, I know events happen for a reason. I know my parents and I were supposed to walk into the Institute to find the Stake President, Bishop, and Institute Director all available at the same time. I know I was supposed to be in that Sunday School class on my first Sunday in Norman. I also know I was supposed to be at the University Ward on November 1st. I just hope that I have been or will be used as a tool for good and will be able to be the influence someone else needs at that critical time. I guess ultimately we never truly know whom we influence and as such we should always be prepared to do so.
Meanwhile, last weekend, Saturday to be exact, was the closing social for the University of Oklahoma Institute. I met up with Lena and we headed over and had a pretty good time hanging out with everyone else. All year the University of Oklahoma Japanese's Drummers have been practicing at the institute and so we were fortunate enough to enjoy listening to them preform which was pretty cool. We also got a lot football throwing in which was fun and once again demonstrated that Lena has a better arm then I. After the social, we went and got ice-cream at Maggie Moo's which is an ice-cream place much like cold-stones. After that a few games of Settlers of Catan were in order before going our separate ways.
With Temple Prep wrapping up yesterday, it dawned on me how quickly everything has come to fruition. On Thursday the parents will be flying into town, Friday Natalie and Jacob will both be graduating from OSU, and Saturday I'll be attending the Oklahoma City Temple to receive my endowments. Only 1 week later I'll be driving home to Utah. Luckily, for me, I've felt so little stress about the going ons in my life that I know I'm making the right decisions. I just hope certain things work out in my favor.
With that I should head to bed so I can get up bright and early and get ready for the first test tomorrow. Good luck to all you 1Ls!
One Love
Since law school on its own is not stressful enough it was decided a long time ago, probably around the dawn of time, that law school finals should be comprehensive, long, and entirely overly-complicated. Tomorrow marks the first exam of the spring semester finals and with that the long dangerous journey through finals weeks begins. It will ultimately cultivate in the completion of the first year of a three year voyage. We have Torts II tomorrow at 2pm, Civil Procedure II on Friday at 9am, Criminal Law on next Tuesday at 9am, and finally Constitutional Law on next Friday, the 14th, at 9am. Wish me luck as I will need a bit of it and a prayer or two wouldn't be turned down either.
Most likely my next post will be from the comfort of home in Stansbury Park, Utah. It seems quite a bit strange to consider that fact especially because of the attendant circumstances that surrounds it. My brother, Chris, and I had a great conversation about such yesterday actually. I'm really glad our relationship has grown and become much stronger since he returned home from his mission back in 2007 as compared to our relationship before his mission. Don't get me wrong, we enjoined a good relationship before his mission, but I think the two years separated from each other made me realize, at least, how important that relationship was. Since then we've had the opportunity to do countless activities together and to encourage each other to greater and better things, and occasionally to talk each other into things we shouldn't do. On of my favorite experiences with Chris involves when we were both working together at Discover Financial Services. I had started working there in early July and by late July, or so, Chris decided to come work there as well. Because our work schedules were congruent, we would drive in and out together and hang out. We had a lot of very good conversations and I remember one night, I was playing his Nintendo DS while he drove. He got caught up watching me play so much so that we missed the exit for Stansbury Park and had to drive and additional 45 mins that night. We had a good time. It should be a lot of fun spending some time with him before I ship out in June.
If you had asked me where I was going to be and what I was going to be doing last year about this time, I'm sure the answer would have been different. Saying this though, I would not trade away those experiences as I feel they have been both necessary and implicit in my development as a human being over the last year. Sure, things could have worked out differently and probably a bit easier had certain things come to pass but things happen for a reason.
At least I like to believe they do. As official church doctrine, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not believe in predestination. Predestination meaning that, in crude terms, there exist some giant master plan of the university and we all act as pawns with no-free will to carry out that plan. We believe that we do have free will, but I believe that our decision are influenced and certain events occur for ours and others benefit. Although I've always believed this, I was impressed by this on Sunday when a friend of mine, of whom I am quite fond, bore their testimony. As I have thought about it over on Sunday and a bit today, I know events happen for a reason. I know my parents and I were supposed to walk into the Institute to find the Stake President, Bishop, and Institute Director all available at the same time. I know I was supposed to be in that Sunday School class on my first Sunday in Norman. I also know I was supposed to be at the University Ward on November 1st. I just hope that I have been or will be used as a tool for good and will be able to be the influence someone else needs at that critical time. I guess ultimately we never truly know whom we influence and as such we should always be prepared to do so.
Meanwhile, last weekend, Saturday to be exact, was the closing social for the University of Oklahoma Institute. I met up with Lena and we headed over and had a pretty good time hanging out with everyone else. All year the University of Oklahoma Japanese's Drummers have been practicing at the institute and so we were fortunate enough to enjoy listening to them preform which was pretty cool. We also got a lot football throwing in which was fun and once again demonstrated that Lena has a better arm then I. After the social, we went and got ice-cream at Maggie Moo's which is an ice-cream place much like cold-stones. After that a few games of Settlers of Catan were in order before going our separate ways.
With Temple Prep wrapping up yesterday, it dawned on me how quickly everything has come to fruition. On Thursday the parents will be flying into town, Friday Natalie and Jacob will both be graduating from OSU, and Saturday I'll be attending the Oklahoma City Temple to receive my endowments. Only 1 week later I'll be driving home to Utah. Luckily, for me, I've felt so little stress about the going ons in my life that I know I'm making the right decisions. I just hope certain things work out in my favor.
With that I should head to bed so I can get up bright and early and get ready for the first test tomorrow. Good luck to all you 1Ls!
One Love
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