Hugs

The power of a hug is enormous. Yesterday was a crazy day, we had our kick-off party for Get Connected and Student Ambassadors and before that could happen we had to go get enough volunteers so we had to blitz apartment complexes all over Rexburg. I had been on campus since 8:00 going to class, meeting with my group, and getting recruits I did all this while maintaining a smile on my face and the enthusiam required for the event. I was feeling a little in adequate so I said a small little pray in my head that I could get through the day. Two minutes later one of my good friends walked by my booth and without saying anything gave me one of the best hugs I have ever received, I felt my problems dissolve, and I was reminded of why I was here and why I was volunteering in the first place. What came next made my day he said "Did you know that you are wonderful?" I needed that almost more than I needed the hug. I continue to amaze myself when I don't think of a prayer at first, I feel that if I just did it before life would be a whole lot more simple. Lesson learned. Moral of the story give a hug whenever you can.

Hip Hip We Are Gray

I am doing Student Ambassador Council this semester and oh how I love it. This semester is the best one yet. I have a heavy work load, but the Lord has blessed me so much, I seem to always have time for everything I need to get done. We went on the council retreat, it was snowy and cold but I came to love everyone on council for Student Support which consists of SRC, Student Associations, Get Connected, Student Ambassadors, and Recruitment. An amazing group of people, working together for one amazing goal. More details later. Just know, I am loving this adventure.

Typical May day in Idaho

Struggle

I have embarked on my last semester at BYU-Idaho, hopefully. I have no idea where I am going after I graduate but I feel like I need to move on. Maybe Ill be at BYU, U of U, serving a mission, or in some third-world country volunteering in a orphanage. My path is unclear and while at times it scares me that I don't know what's coming, I find peace in knowing I have the potential to do anything. Secretly I am scared about this semester, scared I won't be able to understand my classes, scared that I'll want to change my major..again, scared that I will lose sight of what is really important, scared I won't find what I am looking for. In order to graduate I needed 20 more credits, so in order to save time and money I just decided to take them all in one semester. Bad idea? Yup. I feel so overwhelmed, it is the third week of school and already I have a million things to do, I feel like I just can't break the surface. To add to my school work, I joined student ambassador council which takes up 15 very precious hours, plus I am involved in the Neuroscience Acedemic Society (NAS) which is required for my BIO 240 class. I called my mom and broke down in tears, she tried to help me as I told her I was tired of school and I just wanted to be done. Dropping out felt like a good idea. After I hung up the phone, I dropped to my knees and cried really really hard and asked for help and a lot of it. I felt so alone, confused and lost and my dreams felt so far away. Still crying I crawled into bed, and after laying there for a few minutes I felt a blanket of peace, calm and love wash over me. I still have questions, I still get frustrated, and am stressed 96.47% of the time but I know that I can do this, I woke up the next day telling myself that I was going to take the day on and it was going to be a success, why? Because I said so. It is all part of the struggle, falling down and getting back up, all that matters is that we are standing in the end.

He is Risen

Easter is such a great holiday. Yup, I just decided I like it a lot. It has been super rainy and snowy and windy here in Rexburg, but this weekend it was absolutely gorgeous. Yesterday was Easter Sunday and I could not have asked for more perfect weather to celebrate this season. We had a lesson on the Atonement, more specifically the resurrection of Christ. We talked our way through all of the events that led up to it, and while I have had this lesson many times, yesterday it just really made my heart smile really big. He gave his life for mine. He died for my sins. I am made eternal through his sacrifice. He is my Savior. What greater blessings are there? I can think of none. While we were singing He is Risen in sacrament meeting, a thought popped into my head, I am so blessed to know that He lives, he has come and will come again. I am so excited that in less than 8 months I will get the opportunity to go out on a mission and teach people that He IS Risen and all about the thruthness of the gospel and the blessings that it brings. I love Easter. I love Spring. I love LIFE.

The power lies not in the shirt but in YOU

My life is amazing. I am getting an amazing education, I have amazing family and friends, and I have had so many amazing experiences. This last semester I decided I wanted to be a mentor for the Get Connected program on campus, however when I looked into it all of the positions had been filled. About 5 weeks into the semester however one of the mentors dropped meaning that a position needed to be filled, well seeing how one of my good friends is on council I had an in, she put my name on the list and I was called in for an interview. I got the position. For the rest of the semester I spent and hour every other Thursday preparing to teach other volunteers who would in turn teach the incoming Freshmen. It was quite the process. I was assigned a partner. Jared Fowler is his name, he is amazing as well. Just saying. We spent many hours going over the talks that we would base our lessons off of. Finally first day of Spirit Conference came, and we got to meet all of our volunteers. Spirit Conference went by in a blur, when I wish time would slow down it has a weird way of speeding up. Those two days were full of laughter, tears, learning the Hoe Down Throw Down, and starting to walk more fully in Christ's footsteps. It came to an end way to fast. Before I knew it I found myself helping my kids through the spirit challenge. A whole experience in its own, and so amazing to experience it from the other side. It is safe to say I ended up in tears as we closed spirit conference. Don't fret. I still had four more days with the people that I have come to love. Friday was the first day Jared and I had to leave our "kids" and let them out into the world. We were there for any questions they might have, but for the most part our job was done. We spent the next few days, just wandering around laughing, talking, and taking supplies to those registering and directing new freshmen. It was great. The whole experience it taught me so much about myself and the reason I am on this earth. I love everyone I got to serve with, we have known eachother less than a week, but they have become some of my best friends. When I went to turn my shirt in it I met one of my volunteers and she noted how she didn't know what to do without the shirt. I told her "Aly, it is not the shirt that holds the power it is you, the shirt is simply an accessory of the power that you hold to make the difference." I didn't realize how true it was but just because I was no longer dressed in my uniform didn't mean I could no longer make a difference. Oh I how I miss this experience already. The Lord knew I needed this for my improvement and put me in the right place at the right time. Sorry for the lengthy post, but really I could go on forever. Mentor Group 2 - Spirit Conference

Mentor Group 2 - Appreciation Dinner

Jared Fowler and I - Mentors

Needed

I was sitting in devotional today. It was amazing. I sang There is Sunshine in My Soul Today. Which there is. I listened to two wonderful speakers. President Clark and his wife Sue. I sang a closing song I Need Thee Every Hour. Something about that song brought tears to my eyes. I am not someone who cries easily. It is not my thing. But simple put I Need Him Every Hour. My eldest brother, my best friend, and my Saviour. With him all things are possible. Any question can be answered by prayer. He is there in ALL things. I feel his love. He loves me. I feel peace when I think of him. Temptations do loose their power when he is near. Whether I am happy or sad, life is just a whole lot better when he is hear. He can fix all my problems in life I just have to first remember him.

The "I"mazing Race

The thing I love about this campus, there is SOOO much to do, all day everyday. There is always an oppurtunity to get involved, meet new people, and have so much fun. About two weeks ago my friend Tanya passed me a flyer that had information about the upcoming activity, the "I"mazing race. I have always wanted to be on the real Amazing Race and this seemed like the next best thing. So we signed up (the first ones to do so) to be on one of the teams. So last night, Friday the 11 of March, we went up to the MC, checked in, got our first clue, and waited for our cue to start. It was a mad house, people running everywhere! Our first task was to find a book by Robert Frost in the library, which led us to the Spori to piece together a puzzle, the clue led us to the Thor the Viking in the Hart building, who told us to go do a copy cat lap in the BYUIC, we then got a clue that instructed us to go to the MC and find one of the Dancing Latin Stars, learn a dance and keep moving, the next clue was hidden in an egg in the Ricks gardens, after a slight delay we found our egg, read the clue and dashed off the the Taylor for some popcorn and another clue, this one led us back to the MC bowling alley, and after many failed attempts at a strike and one success we were off to the finish line. 5th place of 25 teams. Hizzah. We were the first all girl team, we beat most of the co-ed teams, and all of the all boy teams. Just saying. Oh it was so fun, I wished it would have lasted longer. It is something I have always wanted to do, and the best part was getting to do it with my best friend. I think I will try this again sometime soon.

The End.