Starting Anew

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry I have been a bit behind, but with finals, starting my new job, and moving to a new apartment all in a week and a half, I have had my hands full!

Last Wednesday was my last day at Deseret Book. I was afraid that it was going to be a little awkward since I had to bail with only about a day’s notice, but it was actually very nice. All of my favorite coworkers were there, and they all said they were sad to see me go, but that they understood and wished me the best. It was nice to know that they loved and appreciated me, even though I was only there one month and I didn’t leave at the best time. My boss did say that she wanted to clone me and fire everyone else because she loved my work ethic, but who knows if she still thinks that now…haha

Last Friday was my first training at Jamba Juice! It’s so close that I can see it right when I step out the front door of my apartment building. I love the environment, the people, and the chance to learn something new! We have so much fun and it’s a very spiritually and physically nourishing environment. I finished my training last night, so I will be fully ready to work for education week!!!

I finished up my finals on Wednesday and Thursday, which went well! I feel especially good about my American Humanities one…I actually enjoyed taking it! Since I love art and history, it was really fun to reflect on my newfound knowledge of America’s culture over the past 140 years. This class really helped me to love and appreciate art. I am going to go to art museums much more frequently now.

After months of worry and prayer, my student loan finally came through! It is such a blessing and relief to have that and not have to worry about how I am going to make ends meet in 3 weeks. The Lord is definitely watching over me :]

Friday and Saturday I spent packing, cleaning, and unpacking in my new apartment. I am FINALLY all unpacked and organized, which feels so good! It’s always fun to start anew and get rid of extra clutter. I can’t wait for my new roommates to move in so I can be reunited with my old friends and make new ones!

Speaking of starting anew, I cut my hair about 5 inches today!!! It’s a big change, but I’m very happy with it. I love having hair that is not a burden anymore, and with the rate my hair grows it should be long again in just a few months.

Last Sunday was the final Sunday of the summer term. We had an awesome sacrament meeting! The speakers finished a little bit early, so they invited a member of the Stake Presidency, Brother Brad Wilcox (who is also a popular youth speaker) to share some remarks. His words were incredibly powerful, and I thought that they would be beneficial to you as well.

Brother Wilcox talked about Heavenly Father’s purpose in sending us to earth. Yes, we came here to get a body, but we could have done that 3,000 years ago, when many others of our brothers and sisters did. Yes, we are here to gain experiences, but we could have done that 2,000 years ago, when many others of our brothers and sisters did. So why did our all-knowing, all-powerful Heavenly Father send you and me here NOW? Why did He send us to the specific families and places we live in, at this specific moment in the eternities? He has a very unique and individual plan for each of us to obtain bodies, gain experience, and serve one another in the capacity we will be best at. If you were not on earth in you home and school and ward right now, your prescence would be sorely missed. God wants you to succeed. He has given you the potential to receive all the glory and joy that He has, if you will just follow the Savior. His mercy is truly humbling.

Now, of course, I have to share a new talk I have fallen in love with. This time it is Elder Wirthlin’s “Sunday Will Come.” Elder Wirthlin is such a sweet and tender apostle, but his words are powerful. Reading this talk has given me hope that after the dark times, glory and relief DOES come! It has happened to me so many times in my life, including several instances during these last couple of weeks. This talk also taught me that we need the Atonement every day of our lives whether we are struggling or not, sinning or not. It has helped me to use the glorious gift of the Atonement in my everyday life.

I will leave you with Elder Wirthlin’s humble testimony:
“We will all rise from the grave. And on that day my father will embrace my mother. On that day I will once again hold in my arms my beloved Elisa. Because of the life and eternal sacrifice of the Savior of the world, we will be reunited with those we have cherished. On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever. Because of the sacred ordinances we receive in holy temples, our departure from this brief mortality cannot long separate relationships that have been fastened together with cords made of eternal ties. It is my solemn testimony that death is not the end of existence. ‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.’ Because of the risen Christ, ‘death is swallowed up in victory.’ Because of our beloved Redeemer, we can lift up our voices, even in the midst of our darkest Fridays, and proclaim, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ May [we] always know that no matter how dark our Friday, Sunday will come is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”