D is for Denver. Daring, devout, distinguished Denver.

After meeting with my friend Zach, I have the strong desire to express my appreciation for the Denver area--the 9 days I've been here so far!

Just me and my Sub. All I had when I arrived in Denver.

What an amazing place this is! I think that any area can be great if you have the right attitude, but I think Denver is blessed with exceptionally great people. The first night, a local restaurant employee sincerely welcomed me to the area. A lady at the store turned around to me and showed me the clothing items she was buying that day. A couple days later, a man talks with me for 30 min in front of the soup stand at the grocery store. The people are genuinely friendly here. They don't have any other motives other than being a good neighbor. I love that.

Denver. No editing. 

How did I end up here? Well, I had the opportunity to go to a couple of different pharmacy schools, but I chose Regis because they're going to turn me into the pharmacist I want to be! Someone with integrity and compassion along with wisdom and expertise. I'll never forget how much peace and light I felt when asked, "Why Regis?" in my interview.

How did I get here? The help of a friendly bishopric member. I was concerned--or rather my mom was quite concerned--that I needed to find another LDS girl to live with. With that in mind, I contacted 10 different bishops in the Denver area. Within 24 hours, 3 got back to me. THREE! Three busy, working, focused people that already had plenty of people that needed their attention, but they took the time to get back to me. TO ME. Someone they had never met.

And one proved to be a fantastic roommate match! Enter Kjirstin. What are the chances that she and I already have something in common (other than our faith)? Well, we did. And that was a shared roommate. Again, what are the chances that she and I both had the same roommate at different universities? Enter Rachel.

Other events over the last 9 days have proved the Lord is acutely aware of us. Down to the minute details. For example, I met with my Branch President, President Watterson (the leader of my small congregation) last Sunday only to find out...that we also shared a common thread. Enter Shirley Lassen. President Watterson mentioned he only knew two people from Ohio. One of them happened to be Shirley Lassen. Out of the whole state of Ohio, what are the chances that I would know her? Well, I did. My dad went to her home once a month for years and home taught her. Do you see a pattern here? The Lord was acutely aware of Shirley Lassen. And it was another confirmation that this is where I am supposed to be.

I could go on and tell you how cool it has been to connect with my classmates about our faiths, or how I've met an amazing bunch of LDS young single adults, or how I felt inspired to share my testimony about the eternal nature of families (or how this sentence is a run-on), but that will have to be at another time (and maybe a different medium). For now, I'd like to end by saying: hold to the truths that you do know. And I do know that my Heavenly Father loves me.

A Heavy Dose of Summer

I can't sleep, which I feel is the frequent pattern for my writings.

There's something so reflective about the early hours of the morning I guess!

What happened the rest of this summer? Where has it gone?

Goblin Valley. This was a girls' trip, which I was so grateful for.  These girls weren't afraid to be themselves. It allowed for us to become a lot closer in just a couple of days. The highlights from this trip include almost running out of gas on the way down, Elise carrying a handgun on her, peeing in the wilderness (Chelsea's first time!), the night sky, stripping down to our underwear to wade through slot canyon puddles, getting hit on by carnival men, and trying to stay upside down the longest on a spinning roller coaster. These girls taught me to live in the moment, and appreciate beauty and laughter!

Being an Extra in a Movie. Having a flexible schedule this summer allowed me to say "yes" to a lot of things I typically wouldn't. That includes being an extra in my friend's film Days of Z. Plus, who could turn down an opportunity to be dressed as a zombie?

Squaw Peak Mountain. This one was so fun! Just a Saturday morning hike with a couple of stellar people. To a view of Provo that I had never seen before. It taught me to try to look at things with a different perspective. Plus, these people laughed at my jokes. Making me feel all funny n stuff. I love not only feeling appreciated...but appreciated for my humor! #FTW

Playing softball with my ward. I never thought I would ever, EVER be good at softball. Or really any sport with a ball involved. It was definitely out of my comfort zone! But, I watched a Bees game in Salt Lake. Then I watched my sister's fiance play with his friends. And I couldn't help but feel more enthusiastic about it. I had to try it. And thankfully my church group had a team going! I tried it...and practiced...and played catch for the first time in my life I think! I even struck somebody out by catching their pitch! I had the most supportive team too. I'm sad I work in the evenings now so I can't play, but it was such a memorable experience.

Up Next:
Zions Nat'l Park
Dinner with some fancy people
Lake Powell
Mt. Timp

His Glory

I've been reluctant to post...because this will be my 100th post! I wanted it to be spectacular. Ground-breaking n stuff.

But, I couldn't hold back my enthusiasm about the prophet Joseph Smith's words. Joseph Smith was visited by an angel and it was revealed to him where a set of gold plates were. On these gold plates contained a record of an ancient people that lived in the Americas. It told of their conversions unto Christ, and Christ coming to visit them after his resurrection. It told of their struggles, so that those reading would learn from their mistakes.

Joseph Smith was instructed to retrieve these plates and to translate them through the power of God. What a glorious opportunity! But, the angel Moroni warned Joseph Smith that Satan would tempt him. Joseph came from humble circumstances, and Satan would tempt him to use the plates for monetary value. Following this warning, Joseph writes:

"[The angel] forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom."

For me, I was so touched by this passage. I thought of all the things I've done in my life, and asked myself: Did I do it with no other object in view but to glorify God?

When I received a calling in the church, did I think: "I must have no other object in view in getting this calling but to glorify God."

In all things, I want to be able to eventually say, I did it to glorify God. I serve people to glorify Him. I love to glorify Him. I keep His commandments to glorify Him. Not to get monetary value. Not to get praise or power. Not to feel loved in return by others. But, solely for His glory.