6 down...4 to go...hopefully.

Another semester has come and gone. I cannot believe that I will be a senior in the fall. Although I have two more years left... This semester has been filled with decisions. Things that I know I can only turn to the Lord for answers. It's funny how you stress and stress about things until you just finally pray about it, and then things just fall into place if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Burdens are literally lifted. Nothing HUGE really even happened this semester, but I still learned so much about myself. About relationships with friends and roommates and family. About the scriptures, repentance, the atonement, true joy, and sorrow. I am grateful for the calling of visiting teaching. I worked hard to visit teach this semester, and I got to know and love two amazing girls. I tried to listen and learn from the subtle whisperings of the Holy Ghost. I tried to serve a little more, and think about me a little less. I learned that I was able to serve a lot more when I was being more obedient to the commandments. This is something that I already knew about, but it takes refining. and more refining. and more refining. Unfortunately I am not perfect. I will always be learning.
I learned a lot in school this semester. I loved my nutrition class. I love the body and this class made it even more apparent that God is an absolute genius. The body is such a complex thing. It blows my mind. Every tiny little nutrient we need for our body, God put it on earth. We can survive and thrive on every natural thing. I love it. I feel like I was able to improve a lot in voice lessons. I passed my gateway and piano proficiency, and I got a decent GPA. I tried to do a better job at not being crazy. I tried to balance work, school, and play. I'm learning more and more every semester.
This summer I was SUPPOSED to stay in Cedar, SUPPOSED to work full time, SUPPOSED to teach violin, SUPPOSED to stay in my house, and SUPPOSED to have all the money in the world so I can play. Sometimes things don't work out. I will be at home. HOPEFULLY working part time. HOPEFULLY playing some, and HOPEFULLY renew friendships with all my dear friends up north. I know that the Lord wants me up north this summer. I'm excited to see what He has in store for me. It may just be that I wasn't SUPPOSED to be in Cedar. I guess I'll have to wait and see.
This fall is going to bring about major changes. Changes in myself. Changes in the music department, roommates, ward, and everything around me. Isn't it ironic that the only consistent thing we have in our lives is change. I need to learn how to better embrace it and love it.

Noble Life

My sweet little cousin Akayla Zoe went home to Heavenly Father two weeks ago. She had just turned two years old. I don't know why Heavenly Father took her back, but she was a special little girl if he needed her to return to Him. I know that grandpa and grandma embraced her with loving arms and welcomed her home. I know that she will help her family throughout this life and be their angel. I know that they can return to live with this exalated little being. I know she will send the new baby safely to their family in August. They will be together forever.

Akayla Zoe means Noble Life. She indeed lived a noble life, as short as it was. Please pray for the Ferguson family. Please. My heart hurts for them. Even with the knowledge of the gospel it does not make the loss of Akayla any easier. I was able to attend the funeral in Salt Lake last Tuesday and it was amazing to see the out pouring of support from family, friends, and the community. I loved hearing all the stories of little Akayla. Her parents and siblings all wrote little letters to her that were read at the funeral. Everyone was wearing little ribbons with ladybug pins on them. "Ladybugs have to fly" was a line from a poem that someone wrote for the Ferguson family. Please pray for my cousins and their family.

Akayla Zoe Ferguson "Our Little Ladybug" With deep sadness we announce the death of our daughter, Akayla Zoe Ferguson. Born Jan. 11, 09 to Lance Stapley Ferguson and Angela Kay Jacobsen Ferguson. Died Jan. 18, 11. We will miss our little Ladybug more than words can describe. We will miss Mom's little shadow, her smile, shoulder bounce with music, and more. Survived by siblings Carter, Isabella, Aurora, and Jaada. Grandparents, William and Sherri Ferguson, L. Mark and Debbie Jacobsen, and great grandparents, Scott Flandro and Alice Jacobsen. We do not know why God took our Ladybug back home, but we know that she is in his kind embrace. We are grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord and his helping hands of family, friends, all emergency aid, and unknown angels.

www.akaylasfamily.blogspot.com

Halosydne Amphitritie Kjersti-Puck

This fall the music department did Opera Scenes and Suor Angelica. The student directors of the scenes asked me to be kind of like a narrator for the scenes. Yes, this was my costume. I did wear the pink cons, I had my pink i-pod, and I did wear my pink sunglasses (speaking of which I need to get those back). Kjersti-Puck was a perfect part for me because I didn't really have real lines. I got to make up my lines every night as long as I got the general idea in, so every night was slightly different..."Whatever that Egyptian place is,...Egypt..." "Thanks for making me waste 5 words of my breathe" etc etc. It made for some entertaining lines, I must say.

Happenings in Cedar

I found my new boyfriend. I shall call him..uh,..Nutcracker?

I have loved living in this cute little house for the last year and a half. Although we've had a few problems with it this year we still love it!

I was walking home one day, and I realized that every single person at our house has a gray car. I thought it was really funny. haha

Happy 22nd Birthday Shaye!!! (October 11th...)

What'd you wish for?

You know those days when you have too much to do (homework, cleaning, practicing, homework, homework), and then instead of doing any of it you drive of the canyon to see the pretty leaves instead? Yeah, I know exactly what that's like. That's what Geneil and I did on beautiful afternoon. This is us on the "C" mountain in Cedar with Cedar City behind us.

I love it here. We drove all the way to the top of the mountain to go exploring/try to find my Uncle's cabin, but we decided to turn back due to the fact my car was getting slightly hot.

Happenings on Campus

Have you ever wondered what really happens in the music building?

Two people in a box?

Wait! Three? ...It was only a little squishy...

Don't worry, I only stole the golf cart once...

Now folks, this is what happens when you never get a lunch break. Yes, I am in class. Yes, you do see a whole jar of peanut butter. Yes, that is a pop tart, an apple, and a bag of vanilla wafers. I'm pretty sure I had a string cheese too. I'm healthy though, I washed it all down with water. :)

My Family

Clear back in September we took some family pictures...so I figured it's about time to post them. I have a cute family.

More YPM's!!!

The next YPM get together we had this fall was the back to school BBQ in September. Everyone was able to be there!!! (except for the 3 Elders who had already gone into the MTC.)

These are my beautiful sisters. I love them all with my whole heart. I realized this is the first picture that I've actually posted of all of them. I should start posting all my Nauvoo pictures. From the back left; Sister Ricks, Barrientos, Jones, Bingham, Solomon, Murdock, Reynders, Chambers, Carmichael, and Mckay.

me and my beautiful companion dear Sister McKay

This one is for you Elder Camp. :)
At the BBQ I got a bunch of videos that I should have gotten in Nauvoo, but I didn't. They "crack me up like a broken glass."



These are some of the funniest people I have ever met in my whole life. The first one is Sister Reynders. How she can pull that voice out of her beautiful self is beyond me. Next you have Gloria and Iris (aka Elder Strausser and Sister McKay) They would sit and have the most ridiculous conversations acting as southern grandmothers. It is hysterical. Sister Ricks...Oh man, she if funny. She is acting as Kiko in this video. Sister McKay had a different voice/person for everyday of the week. Friday was LaShawn. So in this video you will meet LaShawn.