Temple to Temple 2011

37.5 miles. 8 Runners. How amazing is it that we have two temples close enough that we can run from one to the other? This year I ran on a coed team. 4 boys and 4 girls. I started the race this year, running a distance of 2.8 miles. I know, I know. I really pushed myself on that one. It was nice to get it out of the way, and be able to cheer on the rest of my teammates without worrrying about my upcoming leg of the race. It was a day full of loud music, cheering, food, heat and fun. Sometimes it amazes me how we work up to something for so long and then it's over. Just like that. It becomes part of our history, something we'll tell the kids about one day. I think my team was amazing, I like them all very much. We placed 17th overall and 11th in our division. I think we were nothing less than champions. I mean really, its us, what else do you expect?

Diving Through the Sky

I have a new obsession. Skydiving. I love the feling of free falling. Always have. So I figured to get the greatest rush I would have to just jump out of a plane. I was right. Last Saturday a roommated and a couple of friends from high school went down to Ogden to cross Skydiving off our bucket lists. It had been kind of cloudy last week so we were scared they wouldn't be able to take us up. If there was rain or wind there would be no jump. It cleared up for just the perfect amount. We didn't know exactly what to expect. When we walked in all of the instructors were either sleeping or just laying around, like it was a typical Saturday morning, and they weren't about to do anything crazy, like jump out of a plane. We figured there would be a training and then they would suit us up and prepare us for the jump. False. When we arrived they made us sign a waiver informing us that this was a dangerous sport. We had to promise that our ghosts wouldn't sue them if we died. Anyway. After we were checked in we met our tandems. The whole lot of them were HILARIOUS, we could not have had a better group. They suited us up, while they told us all we needed to know about exiting the plane safely in about 10 minutes. I think my tandem was a little anxious to jump because as soon as I had my harness on we were out the door and in the plane waiting for the others. The plane ride up was about 20 minutes. I don't think anyone can really be prepared for jumping out of a plane at 12, ooo ft. One would think that they would get you used to the idea by talking you through each step. Nope. Before we knew it we were high enough up, the red light came on, they opened the door and the first set had jumped. When it was my turn he rocked me out of the plane door, back in and then we dived into the sky. Amazing. I felt like I was floating in mid-air. It's hard to describe what it actually feels like. After about 60 second I felt the parachute catch our weight and slow our fall. It was cool. I could see everyone else in their descent as well. I saw a view of Ogden that was amazing. 7 minutes later we were back on the ground, I believe there was a lot of jumping and screaming involved. In less than an hour we became certified Tandem I skydivers. We have diplomas to prove it. It was so much fun, but mostly I am happy none of us died.

The Before

The After

Wilson. They a ton of random things in their shop.

Just so you know

At this very moment my mission papers are in Salt Lake City. Church Headquarters. Where President Monson is. Assigning me to a mission. Somewhere in this world. Ah. I'm peeing my pants I am so excited. If I am calculating right (don't be too hopeful I failed math...twice) my mission call will be here next Thursday. I can't belive it is actually happening. I want to sing, laugh, cry, scream, jump for joy, run away, ask for them back, and leave right now. All at the same time. Stayed tuned for the unveiling. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Wisdom Teeth

I got them out last Wednesday. It was a breeze, everyone got me worked up for nothing. It only took about 10 minutes to get them out once I was numb and they had filled out all my papers for the mission. I was a little loopy once I got the pain meds in me, and was in heaven when everyone stopped by with ice cream and love. I didn't even swell. The hardest part was being a girl who LOVES food and not being able to eat anything solid. It took me about 5 minutes to eat a little Ritz cracker, by the time I bit a chunk off and let it sog in my mouth and then finally swallowed it. I now know what it feels like to be my year old niece Gracie, except I think she could still beat me in an eating contest. Just one more step complete. My papers should go in Wednesday if all goes well.

I'm a honey-dew

A code word for someone who wears a green BYU-Idaho Student Support polo. We were the "Honey-dos" this semester. I have said it over and over, but can I just tell you one more time how much I love Get Connected. This was my fourth time participating in the GC program, once as a new student my self , a volunteer the next semester, a mentor following that and then I topped it all of with being a council member. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to serve with some of BYU-Idaho's most wonderful people. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when I told them I would be available to help the week of GC. I knew it would be a lot of work, but I never realized how much actually went into making this program what it was. We worked in the office for hours, days and weeks in order to get everything ready for 5000 new students. Early mornings, late nights, delicious food, games, meetings, and again more fun than I have ever had. I love the people I got to work with for one week more than I ever thought possible. Each one of them brought a special spirit and influenced my life in someway. I wish I could just record this whole week and then put it on here, then maybe, just maybe you could get a glimpse of just how blessed I truly am. I had to give the closing testimony at Spirit Conference. It was the testimony right before we watched the movie "His Hands" it makes me cry every time. I will never be able to repay what His hands did for me, but through this program I hope that my hands can start to become like those from Galilee. I am truly blessed. The spirit challenge is my favorite part of the whole process. I was a tempter this time around, and much to my dismay I was told more than once that I made the perfect devil. They gave us a list of things to say that would get them off the "Rod." These weren't things like drink this beer, or come to this party. They were suppose to be the small subtle thoughts that Satan gets us to believe everyday. My heart broke everytime I told a volunteer they weren't good enough and they will always be worthless, that no one cared and they were all alone. My heart broke because I could see in their face that they actually believed it. Finally the last person had made it past me, I went to the top and waited with open arms to welcome them home. It helped me see what it is like for our Heavenly Father to watch us let go of the rod, and wander, but then when we hold on he will be there waiting with open arms waiting to welcome US home. How did I get to be so blessed. I never thought I would love new students as much as I do, but I love them so much. And might I add we had an excellent crop of delicious new freshmen boys. Ugh. Just in time for mission papers. Typical.

The process begins

Today, after about 8 months of flip flopping back and forth about what I was going to do with my life, I started my mission papers. It is a great feeling, I am full of happniess at my decision. The road to this point was confusing, full of stuggle and completed with prayer. Have you ever had a plan and in one, one short day have it destroyed? I started this year off not know what I was going to find, but I knew how I wanted it to end. Me entering the MTC. I planned it. I was ontrack to graduate with my Associates and take 18 months off to serve a mission. Everything was going perfect until, February 24, 2011. I met a boy. This is not a love story, it won't be ending with happily ever after, just stick with me okay. I saw him and instantly thought "Chelsey, maybe a mission is not for you."what the? I dismissed it, I wasn't going to miss out on this adventure because of some stupid boy. We talked maybe once over the next two weeks before we saw eachother again. We talked for a couple of hours, I found him to be funny, smart, athletic and heck I even thought he was cute. If I am being honest eventhough I wasn't really looking for a hubs, if I was, he would be the exact person I was looking for. My heart, however, was still thinking mission. We spent more time together, I told him my plans for graduating, and my desire to go on a mission. He thought that was pretty neat. Things kept interupting my plans. My plans for graduation fell through, I wasn't going to have my requirements done, my bank account was slowly losing the money I had put away for the 18 monhts I would be gone. I didn't even like my major I was so inlove with when I started. I had applied to other colleges incase the mission thing didn't work out. When I got accepted to multiple I didn't know which one I would chose. Ugh. I hate making decisions, and it just felt like I couldn't make the right ones. Mr. February didn't make anything better or easier. I could tell that I was falling for him, and I knew he was falling for me. I started to become okay with the idea of us, we hung out a lot, and for a while everything was fine. One night we were talking when I brought up the mission topic, and how my preparations were going. I confessed I didn't know what to do anymore. He told me I could only know through prayer and fasting. Which I did, a lot. I wasn't getting an answer, I wanted to serve a mission, but part of me wanted to stay and fall in love. I knew I couldn't do both. We had just spent a whole week of being inseperable. I saw him everyday, and loved it. I loved him, I know I did. One night we were walking. I told him I was still thinking of a mission. We stopped. His words cut "Chelsey, you know I won't wait for you right?" He pulled his hand out of mine and walked away. I continued on walking with tears streaming down my face, I needed my answer. For the next little while I prayed, fasted, went to the temple, and read the scriptures. I got what I thought was my answer, about three weeks after our walk. I went to his apartment, I told him we needed to talk so we went for a walk. He told me he was sorry for what he said but that he had something to tell me, I let him go first. He told me he had gone on a couple of dates with a girl, he wanted to continue to date her, "she is the girl I need...and want." I felt sick. I knew I should have gone first. My head was down, I raised my head to looked him in the face. I simply replied, "my answer was you." Oh man was that awkward. He asked why I hadn't told him sooner, well I didn't know he was going to fall inlove with the first girl he went on a date after me. I walked away muttering something about asking again. Ugh. He didn't try to stop me, he didn't call me, we didn't hang out anymore. I would seem him on campus, he'd say hi and be all cute again but then I would remember her. Have you ever watched someone you love with fall inlove with someone else? I felt dead. I cried myself to sleep almost everynight. I put on a good front so no one would know. I had no idea what I was doing with my life. I finally broke down and called the only person who knew the whole story. She told me to ask again but to "ask the right question." Bah, typical. I was asking the right question. I kneeled down that night, and asked Heavenly Father what I needed to do from here. Nothing. Whatever. I continued going to class, not really hearing what anyone was saying, I didn't really care about learning. Stupid boy, ugh. The next Wednesday I was walking through the MC and spotted the Sister Missionary booth. I felt the need to stop. I listened to them talk, listened to them share their simple testimony. I asked if it was worth it to them, and the reasons they chose to serve a mission. One of them looked me in the eye and told me "because I needed to." For the first time in a really long time I felt peace. I knelt down when I got home and confirmed my decision with my Heavenly Father and felt his arms surround me with love. From there it became clear that a mission was my answer all along. Things started working out again. I was still hurting, but I needed this. I don't know why He made it so complicated, or if there was a purpose. As much as I hate to admit it I haven't stopped loving him. I dread the day they get married, and it's her he spends eternity with instead of me. I know one day I will find my own new and improved Mr. February but still, his loss right? Sometimes our plans change, we go through a time of uncertainty, but it is only because it helps us see what we truly need. It is for our growth, and learning. Everyday I learn more about what He has instore for me. While I didn't know if I would make it this far with my plans, I'm really glad I did. I don't know exactly what is going to happen but for now, I hope they call me on a mission. I am ready.

Home

No matter how long you have been gone it is always good to be home. This is my the view from my seat as we were landing. A sign of home. I like these mountains.