December 10

December 10
How many missionaries will our ward have? (Note from Marne': Currently our ward has 24 missionaries in the field and 9 with calls preparing to go) We should be in the New Era!!! Just kidding. I would be so embarrassed. Because it's not a race...I'm curious about all my friends. Do you happen to have heard if anyone I know from BYU has decided to go?  How about Susannah Crump and Haley Giblette? I want them to get sent to England London South so I can be their trainer :)  That would be sooo cool! I got a letter from Camille Dahle this week with an adorable announcement. My goodness. I hope it's a lovely wedding, as I'm sure it will be. WHY IS EVERYONE MOVING ON WITH THEIR LIVES?????
What are your Christmas plans? I would tell you mine, but I'm not sure. I won't know till tomorrow morning, so I'll have to tell you next week. I have no idea what will happen. A few weeks ago President told me Sister Yapi and I would probably leave, but that was logic speaking and who knows what will really happen. I would love to stay here for so many reasons. And I have lots of people "praying" for me to stay, so we'll see what happens. Everyone take piano lessons and learn to play!!!!! It makes people like you when you're a missionary :) I feel like I really do contribute quite a lot to the visitors' centre and this area. But missions are teaching me so clearly that I am never irreplaceable. If this were a real job, I know they would keep me and I might even be proud enough to consider myself as indispensable at the visitors' centre. But as a missionary, I know the Lord can take me out of any area and that area will be just fine. Because this isn't my work, this is His. Ya I make a difference and people want me to stay, but they'll be just fine if I leave, because whoever replaces me is the person that needs to be here now, not me. It's pretty humbling, and kind of scary, and kind of cool. Missions have a way of showing you who really is in control. And it isn't me, it isn't the other missionaries, and it isn't even President.
Oh, dear. look at me being one of those missionaries that sends home sermons. no. I wanted to be the one who sends home cool stories. hmmm.
Friday we showed the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert with SISSEL!!!!! It was sooooooo phenomenal. Her voice is like magic and gold and all things wonderful. I have missed musical nourishment for my spirit. It was soooo lovely being able to watch that and filled my soul with such peace and happiness and I haven't even felt much anxiety over transfers since then--and before that I was already freaking out about transfers...Because change and uncertainty scare me. But right now I'm okay. Maybe because I'm just not letting myself think about it. I'm pretending like I'm going to be with Sister Cabrera and Sister Yapi and the visitors' centre forever. That's be pretty cool.
It is so cold here. Another reason I love being at the vc :) So cold. It snowed a bit one morning and it was very beautiful, but then it melted and we were sad. I'm hoping it'll snow tons tomorrow night to stop the flights because I don't really want Sister Howard to go home. But that would be sad for her so I actually don't hope that happens because I don't want her to miss her sister's wedding.
Well, as always this is super scattered and I'm out of time.
Love you all loads!!!!!!!!!
-Sister Ruth Reneer

December 3

Yesterday we had stake conference which was wonderful. It was fun because I got to see a few people from Eastbourne. I wish they had all been there, but it was so fun to see the few who were. I also talked to a missionary in my zone named Elder Martin and found out he is from Heber! So I asked if he knows the Hickens and he said, The Hickens? like THE Hickens who practically own Heber? or something like that :) he knows all the Hicken boys and I felt so proud to say that I'm a Hicken. That made me happy. I also have connections to Elder Holland and Mit Romney here at the visitors' centre that I should tell you about.
The Carpenters, as you know, are the directors of the visitors' centre. I found out a few weeks ago that Mit Romney is Sister Carpenter's cousin. So they were very disappointed about the election.
The Terrys are another senior couple at the visitors' centre. They are soooo wonderful. I hope you get to meet all these wonderful people some day. Elder Terry's sister is Elder Holland's wife, Patricia Terry --and apparently she taught him everything he knows :) They often talk about 'Jeff' and tell us sometimes about that family.
This has been an exciting week with lots happening. But being a missionary is sure exhausting. I know I'm supposed to enjoy the moments because they disappear so fast, but I honestly feel like there isn't even time. I enjoy moments, but not like I did in Provo. Because there is always the feeling that I'm a missionary and I need to be making the most of this time I've been given so don't stop and enjoy too much because you've got to keep working and doing stuff! and I'm always worried about the next transfer, which I know is stupid and I shouldn't worry about it, but I do because that unknown is scary. Future trials are scary. So maybe pray for me to have more faith and more courage to love. Because sometimes loving people scares me too because I know that eventually I'll just have to leave them too. I don't like pain. But I guess I should take a line from the brilliant Flint Lockwood, "It's okay...it's just pain." haha ya.
We had a lighting ceremony at the temple last night to turn on our Christmas lights. It's not quite temple square, but it's beautiful in its own way. We had a nice little program and I think angels must have been helping with the music because everyone said it was good but there's no way it was because it was soooooo cold. We had the program outside because there were so many people. I played the piano for the soloist. The songs were kind of hard, but with practice I got them down and it sounded so lovely when we practiced inside before the performance. But then I had to play on this dinky, short keyboard in the freeeezing cold. literally. I'm sure it was below freezing. by the end of the first two pieces my fingers started to hurt so bad and then I just kind of lost feeling. And the amps were weird so I couldn't really hear myself playing, but apparently everyone else could hear. I never want that experience again! But I guess it makes a pretty good story. and like I said, I think there must have been angels helping out because everyone said it was lovely.
Our tree in the visitors' centre is sooo beautiful. I'll need to send you some pictures. It's so exciting that it's Christmas time. I just set up a little tree in our flat as well. Yay for Christmas! and yay for skype....
I hope things are going well for you all. Remember I still love letters :)
I love you!
Ruth

November 26

Everyone tells me that the closer you get to the end, the faster time goes. Each transfer is shorter than the one before. I believe it, but I can't understand how it can get faster than it is now! Each day slips away so quickly and the weeks even faster.
I wish I could tell you everything about this last week. It was so marvelous. As a week, it was probably the best I've had so far. I didn't know if I'd ever love an area more than I loved Eastbourne but, wow, I love this area a lot. We went to a ward activity on Saturday. It was a Scottish night, so I tried a teeny bit of hagus and the ward learned how to do some Scottish dancing. I felt so at home and so comfortable and so happy. I still don't know everyone in this ward because it's a very big ward, but the people I do know I love very much. It was unique because there were 7 missionaries there, too, which you don't get very much here in England. I love being part of the visitors' centre family and becoming part of the East Grinstead ward. It's nice to feel that I belong.
We have seen some great miracles this week and got to teach a lot of people (relatively speaking). The work is moving forward in East Grinstead and I am so grateful to be a part of it! I wrote more about this in my email to Mazie.*
It is raining so hard today! I love this English weather. At least today I do. It helps that I know I'm not going to be out knocking in it all day :) Being at the visitors' centre has it's perks :)
We're in the library and I can hear the rain hammering down on the roof. It's pretty cool. Yay for umbrellas!
I met a guy from Texas this week when I was on chat and we had an awesome conversation and I've started teaching him online. This is the first time I've had success with this way of finding and it is sooo exciting. It's amazing how the gospel is reaching people in so many ways.
I'm almost out of time.
Thanks for all you do. I'm excited to talk to you soon.  I love you all sooo much!!!!!!
love,
Sister Reneer :)

* Ruth's email to Mazie:
My Thanksgiving was surprisingly awesome. We had so much to be thankful for. We worked in the visitors' centre, taught an awesome recent convert who is preparing for a mission, had dinner with a family, finally visited some potential investigators who are wonderful and came to church yesterday which was sooo exciting, then we visited a less active family we've been working with and had a really special lesson. It was such a full, wonderful day. Oh, AND, after teaching the recent convert and before we left the vistors' centre, we all went to feed the ducks! We have a few ducks that live on the temple grounds (but some of them are uuugly). I haven't had a chance to feed them yet, and it was so much fun, even though they didn't really like the garlic tortillas we were feeding them.
Oh my days. I'm glad you want me to come home with a British accent, because it might happen. My companions and I talk about this all the time. Don't worry. I've definitely been practicing :) my favorite is the word "water." None of us can take that word seriously anymore. I'll have to perform when we talk on Christmas :) and I've integrated a few English phrases into my vocabulary--like oh my days which I can't even remember what it was like to not say. This recent convert we taught on Yhanksgiving always says, "That's well good!" so that's the new phrase my companions and I have started trying to use. It's funny how many different words and phrases they actually do have. We all thought I didn't have to learn a new language, but I am! English and American are not the same. Do you think people will look at me funny and think I'm silly if I come homing speaking British? I think it might be kind of embarrasing.

Happiness is...

I could have blogged about this everyday if I'd wanted to take the time. Now that my blogging days are nearly over (for the next 18 months at least), I realized I simply can't leave without at least one post dedicated solely to friends. I love my friends. It isn't hard, seeing as I have the best friends in the world. I hope they know that I love them. I've never had as many friends as I have now, which is something I always seem to be saying. That's super, because it means I just keep making more and more friends and I hope that never ends. Because I love people. And I love loving people. And I love people loving me.

I'm grateful for friends who... 

Listen to me

Laugh with me

Think I'm funny

Serve me

Tell me their stories and sometime their secrets

Eat with me

Take me on sprite runs

Feed me

Let me borrow movies

Watch musicals with me

Sing along to musicals with me

Watch Doctor Who with me

Give me rides to the grocery store

Write me notes

Bring me cookies

Make me laugh

Go on adventures with me - big ones and little ones

Paint my nails

Have dance parties with me

Cry with me

Sing with me

Tell me they love me

Let me complain to them

Stay up late talking to me

Pick me up just because they can

Go to toy stores with me

Throw birthday parties with me

Feed ducks with me

Go on walks with me

Forgive me

Invite me to Jane Austen dances

Watch sunsets with me

Guess where I'm going on a mission

Go to art museums with me

Swing with me

Cheer me up

Make paper boats with me

Teach me how to make paper stars

Dress up with me

Take pictures with me

Watch fireworks with me

Watch parades at my grandma's house

Make dinner with me

Take me to the roof of the MOA

Remind me life is good

Encourage me

Inspire me

Make piñatas with me

Celebrate random holidays

Blame me when they burp

Introduce me to awesome music, movies, books, and TV shows

Exude awesomeness

Talk to me

Remember me

Invite me to hang out

Listen to Showtunes Saturday Night with me

Wish upon shooting stars and 11:11

Kidnap me

Give me advice

Have deep conversations about life with me

Looks like this list could go on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever if I don't stop myself. Because I have so many wonderful friends who do so many wonderful things for and with me and I am so grateful for it all.

Dear Friends, 

And I am going to miss you soooooo much! But I'm excited for all the new adventures that lie ahead and I can't wait to make more and more friends throughout my entire life. As long as I still get to keep the old ones--which I hope to do forever.

"Happiness" from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is obviously the only way to end this post. As the traditional finale song each time friends gather around a piano to sing, this song holds so many beautiful memories for me and, on top of that, I love the message. Thanks to everyone who has brought happiness into my life, especially in the past three months. Happiness is singing together when day is through and happiness is those who sing with you. Happiness is morning and evening, daytime and nighttime, too. For happiness is anyone and anything at all that's loved by you.

It's a Lovely Day Today!

It's so beautiful outside!!!!! I just love lovely days. It's so warm and sunny and feels like spring today. I'm grateful to be alive-and awake-on a day like this. 

Here is my go-to song for when it's a beautiful day and I feel like singing. It's from the musical "Call Me Madam." Enjoy!

In case you want more of this song and the musical, here's a dance scene using the same song. Wow, I wish I could dance like this! It's so graceful and beautiful and her dress is so delightfully flowy. There's something rather magical about old musicals like this one.

Short, Sweet, and Sleepy

I feel the need to blog real fast before going to bed. Tonight I'm just grateful for all the little adventures and beautiful moments that make life enjoyable. Such as staying up way too late talking to my roommate about relatively unimportant, relatively interesting things. Making breakfast with a friend. Seeing my grandparents in the temple parking lot. Nail polish and best friends! Pleasant visits to the MOA. Celebrating St. David's Day with yummy Welsh food. Doctor Who--so glad he's a time lord again! He made a terrible human. Roommates who watch Doctor Who with me and offer witty remarks. Playing the piano. Taking about life. Being 4'11". Eating nutella on toast. Lovely blankets of snow. And sleeping--that one sounds especially appealing right now. So there ya have it, folks. Life is good.

I'm Going There Today

Today I want to express my gratitude for temples. I have a friend who challenged me to go to the temple three times a week until I leave on my mission. At first I thought, "Wow, that's a lot" and wondered if I could do it. But I recognized, as he did, that if I had time to sleep in, I definitely had time to go to the temple. I've appreciated this challenge immensely. I still feel like three times is a lot and often I can think of many other things I could be doing with my time and wonder if it's worth it. But each time I go I feel a renewed gratitude for that challenge and for the opportunity I have to go to the temple. I love going so often and when I don't want to leave it makes it easier when I remind myself I will be back soon. I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple and the peace and strength that comes into my heart as I make the temple a central part of my life. Even if no one else can tell a difference, I certainly feel like a happier, kinder, and more loving person. My testimony of the gospel and my love for Heavenly Father and the Savior grow and deepen with each returning visit. I'm grateful for the way the temple has changed me and I hope to be a regular attendant of the temple for the rest of my life.

Living It Up, MOA Style!

Friday night I enjoyed a wonderful evening of music, Islamic art, Baklava, and friends (who were too busy running Baklava around and filling water cups), all in the comforts of my on-campus home. As I sat at the front desk, acting like I still work there and answering questions about the location of bathrooms and such, I basked in the happiness that being and belonging in the BYU Museum of Art brings me. Sitting at that desk and watching the crowds milling about brought me so much joy because it was evidence of a dream come true.

As a freshman entering the world of BYU campus, I had no idea what I wanted to study or what I wanted to be when I grow up. But I did know that while a student I wanted to work at the BYU Museum of Art. I quickly fell in love with the building and its galleries and longed to be a part of it in any way. Gift shop, security, education - I didn't care where or how, I just knew I belonged in this building. Last November, the opening of the Carl Bloch exhibit allowed my dream to come true and I started work as a shy, quiet, insecure education girl. I was so scared of answering phones that the first time it rang after Katie left me at the front desk, I ignored it. I remember the security guard sitting next to me made fun of me for ignoring my phone, so the next time it rang I gathered all my courage and answered. Soon answering phones became second nature. I answered the phone so many times each day that I stuttered the next time I answered the phone at home. I picked up the phone and bit my tongue to stop myself from saying "Museum of Art, this is Ruth." Then I couldn't remember how people usually answer phones. It took me a good 5 seconds to remember the word "Hello."

The blessings that have resulted from working at the MOA are innumerable. It hasn't always been fun. It's a job and often it feels like just that--a hard, sometimes boring, sometimes hectic, demanding, exhausting job. But all those difficult moments are well worth the lessons I've learned, the friends I've made, the adventures I've experienced, and the moments I've enjoyed.

Carl Bloch taught me how to deal with lots and lots and lots of people, some of them happy and appreciative, many of them impatient, annoyed, or even out-right angry. I learned that I like being in charge, knowing all the answers, and being able to fix the technology. I loved helping people and I got really good at reserving tickets online. I learned I don't like dealing with VIPs. I'm not confident or professional enough for that yet. But I did like seeing VIPs from a distance, especially General Authorities. I loved the excitement of working on busy days, especially over Christmas break. I loved that sense of authority that came from running the museum with the
other students when all the full-time staff had gone home. I think I'll always feel like I own the MOA, just a little bit. Once May 8th hit, I adored the silence and the stillness that penetrated the MOA and the absence of three thousand people scrambling to get into the exhibit. As much as I loved working during Bloch, I felt very ready for it to end. I'm grateful for my involvement in that exhibition. It brought Carl and I to a first name basis.

(Carl painted this -->)

Besides everything I've learned and all the ways I've grown, the people I've met and the friends I've made are the greatest part of having worked at the MOA. I love my MOA friends!!!! I love being part of the MOA family. Here are some memories that were made possible because I worked at the MOA:

Last Day of Carl Bloch

I counted so many of these tickets!!! Everyday. Thousands of tickets. I counted them in stacks of 50, so I got really good at counting to 50. This picture also shows the beloved K-room as it was used during Carl Bloch (notice Claire's coat on the coat rack) and the wonderful couch where I took a long nap in the middle of that exhausting day. Also included in this picture are two MOA education gems, Nicole and Katie. Nicole and I worked together every Friday night and Saturday morning. Fun stuff!!!



The lovely ladies of MOA Education who helped make Bloch possible. I loved being part of this sisterhood and I miss all those who have graduated/left. I love things like exhibit openings because it gives me a chance to see many of these people again.

POST-BLOCH PARTY!!!

I may have had too much fun at this party. I simply couldn't contain my joy caused by the exhibit ending and I had lots of energy after my long nap in the K-room. This party is definitely one of my favorite memories of all time, even if Keith did prove us all wrong by easily winning the "Most Popular Guard" contest.

Home Away from Home

This is me and my Emma at my desk. I loved having a home on campus with my own desk, my own computer, my own phone, and a spot to leave my stuff when I didn't want to carry it around with me. Basically, I had the best job on campus. I enjoyed when friends or family would visit me at work, like Emma here. It was fun to show them where I lived and to introduce them to the places that mean so much to me.

Also, Emma left me this adorable note on my whiteboard that stayed up for months. It was too heartfelt for me to erase (in the end, Katie was the one who erased it).

Yankee Spirit Exhibit Opening

The times I've dressed patriotic for MOA events is a big number--like 4 or 5. This was our first patriotic event and provided me with an excuse to buy red heels and a new blue shirt. Obviously, I needed those patriotic items!

MOA Besties

One cold, rainy spring night, I came home to an empty apartment and faced an empty, lonely evening. I texted Katie because I wanted to visit her, but she lived so far away, neither of us had a car, and it was cold and rainy outside. She surprised me by saying she'd come visit anyway. So she made the long walk through the cold and the rain just to cheer me up! That's true friendship. We made peach cobbler and hung out in my cozy kitchen. This potentially lonely night turned into one of my favorite spring memories. This girl has blessed my life in so many ways!

Chillin' at Katie's and telling wonderful stories. These girls made my spring term wonderful with nights like this one.

The best part about the end of the summer was that Katie came back. She stayed at my apartment a few nights before moving into her new apartment and she made a fantastic roommate. One afternoon as we were reading outside, it started to rain. So we built an umbrella fort! It worked beautifully. But we did too much laughing and talking to get any reading done and we only used it for a little while before the sun came out again. Thank you, Katie, for so many wonderful memories (like playing dress-ups while taking inventory and going on all sorts of magical adventures around the MOA and all those times you pretend to listen to me and lots of other things I don't have pictures of)!

Jana, another one of those MOA blessings. I love that she is graduated, because too many friends are too busy with homework to have time to play with me. This adventure took place the beginning of last fall. We made paper boats by meticulously following the instructions on some random website. Then we floated our boats down the stream. They held up well, both taking two voyages down the stream. I'm glad Jana and I finally became friends after several months of working together.

Connections at the MOA=Walks on the Roof

In honor of Jana's last day at work, she took us to the roof (my second time going up there--gotta love security guard friends). It's beautiful up there! Here are some pictures documenting our adventure.

Mission Time

 Look! They made guesses! And Kelly even got it right! I love my MOA family. The best part is that they decided to theme their guesses. Can you find the theme? It has to do with something I love and Catherine's doesn't actually fit in.

Friends

I'll always be grateful for life at the MOA, for the things I've learned and the friends I've made. I'm grateful I could be at the exhibit opening for Beauty and Belief and that I still feel so at home and welcomed when I visit the MOA. I haven't even mentioned how happy the new Islamic art made me feel! But this post is long enough. Expressing my love for art will have to wait for another day and another post.

Life

Today I am just grateful for life. It seems a little like cheating, because that's such a broad topic, but it's too hard to choose one specific thing right now.

Yesterday when I got home from a long shopping trip I just felt exhausted. It's amazing how walking around looking at and trying on clothes can make you feel so tired. As I walked from the car to my apartment I felt some sadness creeping into my heart and the temptation of self-pity and pessimism tugging at my thoughts. It would have been easy to focus on those little imperfections of life that I was thinking about, but I realized that was a stupid idea! There is so much good in life. Why focus on the bad and allow it to suffocate the good?! Making this shift in my attitude, I felt a sudden love for my life--the good and the bad. It was funny to feel so happy as I thought about the good things and the things I wish were different. I guess that's what perspective does to you. Because I shifted my focus to all the wonderful aspects of life, the negative aspects faded in importance and I saw them as small annoyances that added some color and challenge to life. Instead of going home exhausted, hungry, and sad, I went home exhausted and hungry but ready to enjoy the rest of my evening. I'm grateful for the left-over Chinese food I got to eat when I got home. I'm grateful for people to talk to while I was eating. I'm grateful for good friends who come and get me to hang out with them. I'm grateful for a chill evening with entertainment (provided by those good friends) and spontaneous talent shows. I'm grateful for meeting new people and describing ourselves based on our green Apples to Apples cards. I'm grateful for a roommate who will stay up late talking about life, listening to my stories, and helping me figure out what I'm trying to say and how to say it.

I'm grateful for Showtunes Saturday Night. Listening to Showtunes last night, I told Bryan I wished they would end with a really wonderful song, like Astonishing from Little Woman. Shortly after I said that, she announced Five Forever from Little Woman as the final song. Good work, Laura Bedore! That's a fantastic finale song!

I realized last night that this song defines many aspects of my life. First of all, it reminds me of all the times I've felt a close sense of unity and camaraderie within a small group of friends. The members of WAGA in 7th grade, my traveling companions in Germany, the Beauty and the Beast enchanted ensemble in high school, my Heritage Tours family the summer after I graduated, my crazy and wonderful freshman roommates, all my MOA besties, my summer ward friends, and my current best friends--all these groups have provided me with a sense of belonging and confidence that together we would fight and share each others battles. It seemed like we would never be parted. However, with each group I've been reminded of the truth that Jo eventually comes to realize--that people grow up, they move on or move away, our lives go in different directions, friendships change, people change, and people disappoint. Each group ended or faded in different ways. Some were extremely painful and some happened more slowly and naturally. The traveling ended and we parted ways, or a friend would drop off from the group here and there until I found myself alone again. Whenever my Five Forever groups end, it always makes me very sad. But I recognize that this is part of life and it really isn't a bad thing. I've loved my friends at every stage of life, but I'm also grateful that I've been able to move on and for all the new friendships that I've made over the years. It also amazes me and brings me great joy as I witness certain friendships from each of those groups continuing through the years and through the changes. Although I don't see many of those friends as often as I would like, I'm grateful that we can sometimes go for long stretches of separation and slip right back into our friendship when we do meet again. I hope these friendships (and many of my current friendships) last my whole life.

Another connection to my life that I made last night as I listened to this song comes in at 2:55:

Meg-And if John Brooke were here, he'd be our brother, too.

Laurie-Meg's in love!

Jo-We'll consider any friend.

I hate boyfriends. I've gotten better at controlling/dealing with this hatred, but I still find myself hating the boyfriends (and girlfriends) of my best friends, at least a little. Freshman year was really hard, but, like I said, I've gotten much better at supporting my friends in their relationships instead of being angry that they don't hang out with me anymore. (It helps when I like the person they're dating and it has potential to go somewhere. Freshman year all the relationships were just stupid.) I think I understand Jo's emotion at this moment. She obviously isn't thrilled at the idea of Meg being in love. She doesn't want things to change and she doesn't want to be replaced. I like that she deals with the situation by saying they'll consider any friend. She seems to emphasize that friends are welcome, but she doesn't want anything more than that happening to anyone. Like Jo, I don't like being replaced, but there always seems to come a time when I find I can accept the replacement because I know that's how things have to be and that they are best this way. I see the happiness of my friend and then I feel happy too. Hopefully I'll continue to be like Jo and some day find myself as the one happily in love.

Watching this performance of Five Forever, I also noticed the interaction between Amy and Laurie. If you don't know their story, spoiler alert! Laurie proposes to Jo, she rejects him, and years later Amy (the youngest sister) and Laurie fall in love and get married. For some reason, I just love thinking about relationships and how they have changed, whether for better or for worse. I love looking back in my life and realizing that a year ago or even six months ago I would never have suspected that I would be friends with a certain person or group of people. Sometimes I wish I could go back and tell myself, "Hey, Ruth! In a year from now you'll be best friends with this random person in your ward who you've never really talked to and who you can't even imagine being friends with right now" or "In a few months you'll be best friends with this person you don't understand right now and don't really like." Perhaps it's the realization that life is not stagnant and that interesting and exciting friendships sometimes sprout from the least expected places that causes me to love thinking about and noticing these things so much. In a similar way, I take an interest in watching Amy and Laurie interact in this song and enjoy thinking to myself, "They have no idea what's going to happen to them in just a few years! They are so unsuspecting!"

Finally, I just love this song! The singing, the dancing, the words, the story, EVERYTHING!!! It is beautiful and happy and makes me feel good on the inside. I'm grateful for good music and the effect it has on me.

And so I finish this post with no real theme besides life to tie it all together. I'm grateful for all the little things that have enriched my life in the past few days and for everything that makes life interesting and keeps me on my toes. L'Chaim!

For Failing Hearts

I'm grateful for the gospel, for the eternal perspective that it provides, and for the strength it gives me to carry on in moments when my heart feels weak. I'm grateful for faith, prayer, and miracles. I, too, am grateful "for the gospel of Jesus Christ that allows me that kind of strength in these tumultuous times." Thank you Elder Nelson for this inspiring message.

Sabbaticalizing Shenanigans

Today I am grateful for Sarah Bethany Scoville. Because of her, I have been changed for the better in sooo many ways and my life has been extremely enriched. She's kind, loving, funny, talented, selfless, and just all-around really wonderful. Words simply can't express how much I love my Sarah!!!!! So today my post is dedicated to her.

Once someone told us we look like sisters. We were confused, but took it as a compliment. A few days later another person told us we look the same. What do you think? Sarah's tall and I'm short, but besides that I guess we're basically twins! We decided perhaps we just have similar countenances.



Sarah and I were roommates for our first two years of college, meaning lots of time to make many wonderful memories and to watch and help each other grow in many ways. Both years I was so sad to say goodbye for the summer. I still miss our nightly heart-to-hearts and our parties at 8 (or 7 or 9 or 10) every morning--to which we were often fashionably late. Sarah broadened my music horizons and taught me the ways of fashion. Her example makes me want to be kinder, more loving, and more confident in myself. I look up to her in so many ways!



This is Charlie. Emily brought him home one rainy day during our freshman year. Sarah was so happy to come home and find the sun in our kitchen! Sarah loves the sun. We named this sun Charlie and drew a black Charlie Brown stripe around him. Unfortunately, Taylor, Kristen, and Emily brought Charlie's life to an unhappy end. . . .





One night after finals, Emily, Sarah, and I went to Sarah's house and played with her wonderful collection of dress-ups. For pictures of crazier costumes I refer you to facebook. We sure had some stylin' outfits. Here we have the classic bride + gangsta (in a jasmine hat) best friend combination. This memory represents many spontaneous adventures that have filled our lives over the past few years. It also represents Sarah's love for photo shoots and Emily's fantastic photography skills.





This picture basically defines our freshman year. All the lovely roommates seeing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Just about everyone could quote the entire movie by the time the year was over. We saw it on my birthday and it was the first time all year that no one was missing out on the roommate bonding time. What a life-changing event! Like spray-on shoes!


Last adventure in Tingey 224: Covering the whiteboard with Cloudy references. Told you this movie changed our lives!


Sarah was in colorgaurd our sophomore year, which meant we got to cheer for her at the homecoming parade. This poster used to say "Go Sarah!" but when Cosmo ran past he stole one of the A's. I thought he was just going to run off a little and then bring it back, but he just took it and ran! I've felt a bit of animosity toward him ever since. We rearranged our sign to say "Go Rah!" It almost makes sense....

This picture is from the filming of our Oscars movie sophomore year. David and Andrew put so much time and effort into our production and it turned out awesome! For the full effect of this memory, you have to have seen the movie. Sarah and I are basically the stars of the show. Sarah played the widow of a wealthy man and I played her loving sister. The part where I comforted her came naturally, but the parts that were more uncharacteristic might have also been more fun....


Old Person Party!!!!! This was certainly one of the funniest memories we have of sophomore year. We dressed up as old people, took on old person names and personalities, and hobbled over to the Nibley House to play Bingo and drink prune juice. Sarah was the lovely Pearl. I don't remember her story. The deaf Dieter, as played by Brian, was our favorite. All he did was fall asleep on the couch and yell "What's that?" when we tried talking to him. Who knew being old could be so much fun!


Biology. Bleck! Yet my memories of that class are generally of a positive nature, because Sarah sat next to me everyday! We'd share snacks, chat about current life dramas, and enjoy watching Planet Earth every other Wednesday. For extra credit, we made cottage cheese. It was an interesting experience. Bruce didn't even like cottage cheese, but in order for us to get extra credit, we had to taste our cottage cheese in front of the class and he tasted it to. Sarah's won worst tasting cottage cheese in the entire class. It was so bad he even mentioned it the next day. Haha, Bruce!


Sarah's a fantastic cook! We had many evenings last year that involved making exciting things in the kitchen. A couple weeks ago I went to Sarah's apartment and we made dinner together. I love cooking with Sarah because she does all the work and then I get to eat yummy food! We realized we are a good team because she did all the cooking while I did all the dishes. We were both happy that way. This picture also shows that Sarah is practically French.


Sarah, Emily, and I went to visit Julia in Colorado the weekend before she entered the MTC. The entire weekend was full of wonderful memories.


Exploring Julia's grandparent's old, abandoned house.

Picnic at a park

Thrift Stores!!!

Watching a phenomenal Colorado sunset, listening to the sound of silence, and capturing our silhouettes against the darkening sky.

Also, Sarah likes to put things on her head.

Sarah, thanks for yelling at contacts and discussing bowls of life with me. Thanks for sharing your bread, telling me all about your day, and letting me tell you about mine. Thank you for understanding my heart, even when I don't know how to explain what's going on in there. Thank you for being the Chicken Soup for my Soul. Thank you for making every morning a party and every night a sleepover. Thanks for making plans with me even when we know God is laughing.

A few things I hope you always remember:
I'm not a planner.

It's okay, it's black and white!

Vermeer was famous.

Getting rid of trash is like getting rid of...an unwanted...thing...in your heart.

We both stopped in the middle of a sentence. That's like life. Like when you're having a bad day and nothing's going your way and you talk to a friend and everything's okay again.

We're funny enough to teach Darin's lessons.

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

I hope you have a most wonderful year!

And if you ever find yourself unsure of what to do, just remember what you taught me:

WHY NOT?