California Here I Come!

Last time I wrote, it was about a Large White Envelope. I opened it that weekend... I went home and had a lot of my close friends and family that could come over. Everyone one guessed, and a couple people got really close and guessed the missions right next door, but no one got it exactly right. I am going to the:

California Carlsbad Mission.

My heart now belongs to warm and sunny SoCal! It is honestly quite perfect for me, and I know that is where the Lord wants me, because I'm not doing this for my family, for myself, or even for the people in California. I'm leaving my life for Him, because he gave his life for me.

But this call is bittersweet. See, I talk a lot about my roommates, but that is because they instantly became my best friends! From the first time we emailed after finding out our roommates, I knew these girls were wonderful. We became the kind of friends that could tell each other anything, and I mean anything! These girls were the reason I didn't get a lot of sleep some nights and the focus of a lot of my memories. These are the girls who I became an adult with, who bonded as we were forced to face the real world by ourselves!

But in just a few short months, Kate will be in Spain, Cass in Ecuador, me in California, Tay in Argentina, and Hailey here in Utah! I've only been apart from my best friends for two LONG weeks, but I already feel so alone. I know my companions will become close, and in two years we'll be back together. I guess I just hate saying goodbye.

I also have friends in Rexburg I don't want to say goodbye to, and this isn't even the half of them. These friends I know it will be hard for me to see a lot, even on my return, which made it almost even harder to say goodbye. These are the girls I've grown up with! My friends for up to 10 long years.My friends that were there for braces, girls camp, boys..., first date, graduation, all my teenage experiences.

There is also the hardest goodbye, aside from my roommates, my friends, my hair, my home, I also have to say goodbye to my family. In 59 days I'll say goodbye to my two brothers, my sister and my brother-in-law, my parents and to the most adorable 16-month-old little boy. They are the ones who have supported me my whole entire life! And will support me for the rest of it.

I know I'm a little bit early in all of these goodbyes, I don't leave for two months (minus two days), but being away from all of these amazing people makes me realize how much I'm going to miss them all!

But what am I gaining? I'm gaining an adventure in the most amazing place in the world! (I mean it's got Legoland! What more could you want?) I'm going to have the most amazing experience ever! Hard, but worth it! Carlsbad is warm and gorgeous! I am so lucky to serve the lord, who I love so much in such a beautiful place in my native language.

So while I won't be a Hermana, a Sœur or an Imōto, I will be a Sister, Sister Palmer! And I will be exactly where I'm supposed to be, doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing!

What is the point of all of this? Well, you know the saying that a missionary is someone who leaves their family for a short time so that others can be with theirs for eternity? I guess all the best things in life require a little bit of sacrifice. With all the goodbyes I'm saying, I'm setting myself up for some wonderful hellos! And I can't wait! I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing! I know a mission is right for me! Now it is just a matter of preparing.

California here I come! :)

Small and Simple Miracles

"Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works." Alma 37:41

Wow! Two weeks ago I realized just how strong my testimony was, and in the last two weeks I have seen so many blessings from it. The gospel of Jesus Christ makes me so happy! Today in Relief Society (one of the most amazing organizations in the whole entire world! If you are female, 18 or older and not going, I suggest you start! It will better your life!) we talked about recognizing the spirit. Our teacher started off the lesson by having us all talk to our neighbor about a "mini-miracle" we had seen in the past week, a trait we have we're confident in and something that made us smile in the last week. For the second two I always answered I'm confident in my testimony (see my last blog post) and what made me smile was my friends and roommates, as they always make me laugh, and I'd share one story or another. For the miracle though, I thought of one, and then as others shared theirs with me I thought of more kind of like theirs! So here are my miracles, not to tell you how amazing my life (especially the last couple weeks) is, and not to copy Tay (who posted a blog post very similar just about an hour before I started this one; the lesson must have been really good for us both to have the same thoughts!) but so you guys reading this can recognize the different ways the lord works, and notice the miracles in your life. Now lets see if I can remember them all (I bolded the miracle so you don't have to read them all):

1. First miracle: Binary. :) You are now thinking I am the biggest nerd ever, (yeah, you're probably right. The end). But seriously. Starting this semester I was so worried  about my digital circuits class because I had no idea what to expect. Either the first or second day of the class she gave us reading and it was on binary. I dreaded it, and as I started reading I was so lost and bored, but then it clicked. Now the class I dreaded the most is my favorite, and on a side note the two classes I was the most excited for I don't like.
2. This as been the most amazing January ever. There is like no snow on the ground and it has stayed well above 30 during most days! Warm winter in Logan! :)
3. Oh and along those same lines, the inversion has stayed away! In version is basically really thick fog that lasts for days. I love being able to see the temple and the mountains. Those are what make Logan really beautiful!
4. I am an Undergraduate Research Fellow (URF). That means I get a scholarship to do research starting freshman year. In most fields freshman don't do a lot with research, and if they do it is feeding the animals, taking data/measurements, sweeping and cleaning the beakers, etc. I like encryption. There is not much for a freshman to do in encryption because we don't know all the math/science/computer science we need to yet. I was having tough luck finding a spot. A couple weeks ago I emailed two professors, one over the URFs and the other my last attempt at finding research I was interested in helping out in. My meetings with both professors eventually fell on the same day half an hour apart. the first was URF. I basically told him I couldn't find a spot and I needed to defer until after my mission when I would have more experience, then I went to the second one and it was a perfect match. He said he wanted to see what the results of his idea would be but it was a simple enough idea that even a freshman could help with it, and it was in exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life! He still has to approve the project but cross your fingers and say a prayer for me that it'll work out!
5. I have the craziest roommates ever and last weekend I spent a whole half hour listening to Tay talk without taking a break. She is the most hilarious person I have met! She is so kind and loving and has a glowing testimony, but that night I needed the laugh and boy did she deliver. I heard her whole life story and the whole time I'm sitting there thinking, I could never be as spontaneous and funny as Tay! She is our entertainment in C101!
6. My schedule this semester is crazy. I have pretty much back to back classes from 8:30 or 9:30 to 2:00, 4:30 or 6:00. and MWF are when all my engineering classes are (digital circuits, linear algebra, mission prep (okay, not really engineering), computer science, and on Wednesdays my Circuits Lab). Wednesday I had homework due in every class but one (and no that one was not mission prep). And the other class the assignment was due Monday after our big roommate sleepover. But I got it all turned in and the only thing I missed was sleeping in and being lazy Monday morning!
7. Speaking of homework, I was super stressed about my math homework because I didn't exactly have my math book yet. You see I though I had gotten a good deal and ordered the wrong thing. The book store was all out and if I ordered a new one online it wouldn't be here until next month. The professor kinda posted the assignment late and so I couldn't really borrow someone in my classes and the library didn't have one. I did order one online just so I'd have it for the next assignment, but I was in a pickle. Monday I get a text from someone I had emailed a week ago. They asked me if I still wanted the book. I said yes very much. I was able to cancel my order online because of the holiday weekend and turn in my assignment complete and on time!
8. Thursday night my five roommates and I get a text from our RA: "...I totally forgot to mention that we're probably getting a new roommate tomorrow..." We have had two empty beds in our dorm since the end of last semester and had speculated when/if we would get a new roommate. If the spots did get filled we also wondered what she would be like. not to mention the five of us are really tight and we didn't want the new girl to come in and feel let out or be awkward about it. Needless to say we were a tad worried, but honestly we had no need to be. Hailey is amazing and fits in with the rest of us like she's been here all along. I can't wait to get to know her better over the coming semester!
9. Friday night! Some of the girls from the second floor had a party and we ate dinner, played games, talked, ate LOTS of candy and watched both Despicable Me's in out PJ's! It was a ton of fun! When the second show was over we all decided we were tired and called it a night. Then when we got to our room and into bed we all decided we caught our second wing and stayed up for another hour talking and getting to know Hailey better. Lots of fun!
10. On Saturday, Cass's dad took us all out for dinner and swimming at the hotel he was staying at. It was so much fun! We played keep away in the pool and it was more fun than I had had in a while, especially in a pool! It was fun to just let go and procrastinate homework.
11. Today has been a day of miracles. Let me start with Sunday school. Our ward now has three Sunday School classes and Cassidy gets to teach two weeks a month. Because of farewells and the increase in classes gospel principles was pretty empty this week. In fact when all is said and done it was Cass who was teaching, the other four of us roommates, and Katie who is practically a roommate anyway. It was really great just having a small class, and Cass is a great teacher. She is an amazing person over all actually she's been such an example to me since I've met her.
12. Two eternal truths that spoke to me from Sunday school. We learned about the creation and emphasized on the fact that all things denote there is a God, and since God is light, as his children we are light too. The earth is perfect, self-mending and beautiful. It couldn't have just became that way, it had to have been created. I know that one day we can be kings and queens of our own kingdom and be the light to our heavenly children.
13. Relief society we had the lesson on mini miracles which has brought all these events to my mind.
14. As I walked out of Church today I had a big smile on, I realized that church is the only high I need in my life, because it makes me happier than I ever could be with anything else. I also realized that I have gotten more out of it in like the last two months than I ever had before! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is completely true and totally amazing!.
15. Today I made homemade dinner for my roomies and I: three cheese, quick lasagna. Homemade food is a miracle for a college student. The end. No but really I love cooking and my roommates seemed to like it too! (at least no one died!)
16. We had a valley wide institute devotional today, and our guest apostle was Quentin L. Cook. He spoke on choice and choosing the best of the things that truly mater first. It was such a blessing to hear from an apostle of the Lord.
17. The day's I read my scriptures I'm happy the day's I don't I'm not. And if I go I day or two with out reading I'm less likely to read the next day. Personal scripture study is amazing.and i'm so glad I read today! I found the gem I started my blog with and a couple other amazing scriptures that spoke right to my heart.
18. I'm amazing at procrastinating homework, and I'm trying hard to keep the sabbath day more holy, (and before someone says "Kitchen Scrabble" Just know it's a work in progress. So we stayed up till about 11 watching a movie, then I ate food and read my scriptures for an hour so I could work on a homework assignment due tomorrow at one. (again I have classes tomorrow from 9:30-2). I was prepared for a long night. I start working on it and then start playing the game. What if I only get 50%,60%, 70%. While I'm doing this I see an announcement online that it is postponed until Wednesday! I worked on it a little bit then called it good.

Now again, while I want to share my what I'm doing and my thoughts and feelings with you, I don't share these things to make my life seem perfect of amazing. It's not. But The gospel makes it better. One thing the gospel teaches is to notice the little things. "By small and simple." What little miracles have occurred in your life today? This week? This month? Think about them. Write them down. Be continually noticing new ones! You will be blessed! Thank you for reading my rather long post. 

Beautiful Logan!

My Indecisive Mind Speaks

I am indecisive.  Extremely indecisive.  I can't commit and I never know if what I've chosen is truly the right thing for me.  Should I write my final English paper on unfairly distributing scholarships to minorities first or on how Christmas has become too commercial, or on one of the 4 other ideas I have running around on my head.  (Feel free to comment your opinion.  I probably need it.)  I can't chose what to eat at meals, and I take forever getting ready because I don't know whether to wear this outfit or that one.  Even today as I'm writing this post should I go with choice one or two?  I can't choose one, and I don't think they'd be that easy to combine, so I'm possible gonna write a two part blog.  Maybe.

Part 1: Christmas Time!

Yes, It is the first of November and Yes, I do realize Christmas is just under two months away, but for a girl who thrives on the spirit of Christmas, two months just isn't enough!  "I need a little Christmas right this very minute!" is my motto all year round! 

I know, I've heard all the arguments, Christmas isn't as special if you celebrate it too early, all the songs sound the same, "what about Thanksgiving?".  Hear is my refute, how can the most angelic and special day of the year become less special. Christ came to this world, and died for us so that we could return to him again.  I know he was probably born in April, but this is the day to celebrate all he has given us.  And even though a lot of the world has forgotten what Christmas really means, I love the spirit of Christmas, the fact that people are wondering about what to get others (yes, maybe a bit too much), and that we as humans smile a little more.  I love that Christmas songs either make me cry or make me laugh and smile.  I love that towns light up and people just care about each other a little bit more during the Christmas season!  I love the Holidays, everything about them.  I love decorating my house, and I love spending time with my family.  I love wrapping presents and I love drinking hot chocolate and watching Christmas shows, cuddled up on the couch. 

Christmas is my favorite.  So I won't apologize for celebrating the holiday all year round, especially because my name is Holly.  "I cry the day that I take the tree down, I want the season to last all year round..."  I wish we'd all act in the Christmas spirit more, even I could and should act better.  Celebrating early lets me remember to be a little nicer, smile a little wider and love a little more.

When I celebrate Christmas!

An Early Christmas Present for you!

Part 2: My Best Friends

I seriously believe that I live in the best place ever.  A fantastic beautiful city at the base of incredible mountains.  I live right on campus and I live with some of the most wonderful people in the world, and it shocks me that I haven't written about them yet.  So, while I love all my roommates, the people I have met here and my friends back home, I just want to touch on a few people in my life and what they mean to me.

First of all Cassidy.  Cass is incredible.  She's the reason I am even writing this blog because hers in incredible, (she is almost a English major, so her's is a lot better.)  She lives in my room, but on the other side, by the window.  She is totally chill and fun loving and I love talking to her.  She gives great advice.  We are either the exact same or polar opposites.  We were born in the same town (maybe the same hospital) and at the time our families both lived in another town, we both love yellow, and we got the same ACT score.  She's an English Major, and I'm in Engineering.  I love Christmas (see Part One) and she hates it.  Cass is an early bird, (usually) and I'm a night owl.  I have the BESTEST roommate on campus, possibly in the world.

Hannah.  Hannah has been my best friend for a couple years now and she is fabulous.  She just got home from Ecuador working at an orphanage.  She knows all my secrets and can make me laugh.  Hannah danced with me and she is super graceful and beautiful.  She's so kind and incredibly smart.  We get each other and have so many inside jokes.  She's the reason my car's name has a silent  number in it, (my car's name is Ber3nie).  Hannah is the first person I talk to about boys, things bugging me or my worries.  I love Hannah for all the support she has given me throughout the years, and I don't know where I would be without her.

Katie is crazy.  Well actually she is sparkly, and pink.  She lives right above me, like her bed is directly above me.  She's from Montana, but she is the opposite of a hick or red neck.  Katie is also a twin; her twin's name is Emma.  Katie and I get along great as we are both incredibly social, bright and happy.  We both love the idea of romance and love, and we both adore teenage dramas, like Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries and more.  Katie is really smart and wants to combine graphic design and marketing, to design ads and such for companies, and she will be fabulous!  She is so creative and her favorite thing ever is sewing tutu's and other tule skirts.

Another of my roommates is Kate.  Kate is from Arizona, and she is so intelligent.  She is the sweetest and most motherly of my roommates.  She helps out with a special needs institute class which I completely admire her for.  Kate is constantly looking for new ways to help people, and the only time I've ever seen her truly upset was because she can't figure out what she wants to do.  Kate pushes herself, and hates it when she can't figure something out.  She is the kind of person who genuinely loves everyone.  I love the example Kate is to me.

I'm kinda all over, but jumping back home to Rexburg, Amiee.  I occasionally refer to Amiee as mini-me, but that isn't true at all, she is a thousand times more impressive than me.  I was yearbook editor, and this year Amiee is.  I want to be an electrical engineer, and she is thinking more mechanical.  I went to NASA camp, and so did she.  But Ames is incredible.  She is so positive and happy all the time.  she is silly and also incredibly graceful.  Amiee is an amazing photographer and designer, and she is so smart it isn't even funny.  Some people are only great at one or two subjects, math and science, or English, or History and Government, but Amiee is pro at them all.  I don't know yet, where she is planning on heading to for college, but where ever she goes, she will excel! Amiee is fabulous and I love her lots!

Back to roommates: Taylor.  Taylor is the funniest.  She is so silly and chill.  I love that things don't generally bug her and even when they do she just brushes it off.  Tay is also from Arizona, and her sisters are her best friends.  Tay cares so much for her family and misses them so much every day.  Out of her nine blogposts over a third of them directly talk about how much she misses her family.  She has the cutest smile and I love her so much.  She wants to be a pediatrician which is so perfect for her cause she's loving and so kind.  Tay is my angel and my entertainment.

Adam lives down the hall from us and he's probably my best guy friend right now.  He just got his mission call to Canada, and he'll be one of the best missionaries ever.  He set a goal to read all of the standard works before he leaves in February, which i think is super impressive and he's well on his way to meet that goal.  Adam wants to be a surgeon which is also super impressive, and something I could never do.  He's also extremely kind and entertaining.  Adam is also my brother away from my brothers, and by that i mean he teases me like my brothers do.  Him and I both did marching band in High school and went to at least a couple of the same competitions.  If that isn't coincidence enough, he also lives in my cousin's ward, which also happens to be Hannah's cousin's ward.  I'm gunna miss Adam lots next semester, and the Canadians are lucky to have him.

Audge is the last person I want to mention today.  Audrianna is her full name and she also is a roommate.  She's from Washington but recently moved to Logan, and she's sassy.  She is so assertive and isn't afraid to speak her mind.  That can sometimes be a bad thing, but not in Audge's case.  She is a powerful leader, but leads in a kind way.  It's funny, because when we all moved in she told us to call her Anna, then a couple days later decided she wants to be Audge instead.  She's the vice president of the LLC RHA council and she's incredible, always planning activities our designing posters.  Audge wants to be a psych professor when she grows up, and she will be incredible at it.  I love her and her spunk so very much.

There are other incredible people in my life, my family and some other friends, but these guys stand out in my life right now.  They are exactly what I need, and I'm so lucky to know each and every one of them.  I love my friends, each and every one, the ones i mentioned and those i didn't, basically, if you're reading this you probably mean a lot to me.

Tay and I!

Me, Cass, Tay and Kate!

Me and Amiee!

Wryn, Emma, Me, Kate, Katie and Faith.

My roommates (minus Faith and plus Karina): Top: Jess, Me, Kelci, Karina, Audge, Kate. Bottom: Cass and Tay

Libby, Anna, Emma, Me and Hannah!

Katie and I!

Part 3: (see i couldn't decide on just two) The Blessings of Being Indecisive

I think it is funny, because while I am extremely indecisive, the hardest decisions of my life have come easy to me.  I knew I was supposed to come here to USU.  I know I'm supposed to be an engineer, and I know I'm supposed to serve a mission!  These have been the easiest decisions to make, and since I'm so indecisive, the knowledge that these were so easy for me to make testifies to me that their right.  I mean look at how blessed I've been for coming to Logan, and all of the wonderful people I've met.  I know i will be blessed for following the Lord's guidance.

Again, sorry this post has been so long, but I couldn't decide on just one, but I probably could've written more about any of the three.  Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.  Have a Merry Christmas season. :)

Change, College and the Characters in My Story!

Change. Isn't change a funny thing. One day, you suddenly look around and realize everything is different. Generally as humans we don't like change, but isn't that an irony? We live in a world where nothing stays the same, so it's contradictory to hope that we can live each day the same as the life before. Just like the weather and seasons change from day to day, people are variables too. It is nonsensical to expect someone to be and act the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It's human nature to change; only God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Yesterday I looked around and it struck me, I'm in college! Wow! In my mind I'm stuck in my sophomore year of high school: in good small Rexburg, starting to date, loving school (but not too much homework), couldn't do sports to save my life, tons of friends, and extremely awkward! :) I had a huge group of friends and we had parties every weekend and hung out all the time. Throughout high school my friend group slowly shrunk. The ones I remained close to became my world to me. I would vent to them, giggle about boys, laugh, do dumb things and just have fun. I loved life! High school was fun, I'll never say it wasn't! I made some fabulous friendships and I hope at least a couple of them last for life.

Me on a fun photo shoot sophomore year, perfect example of my awkwardness.

Now here I am: in Logan at USU, I am preparing myself for a mission, enjoying school (but working hard), fabulous roommates and friends and well... still awkward! I discovered today I am pretty good at ultimate Frisbee! I never thought I would ever be good at anything that involved running and throwing things! I live with 7 amazing girls, and other fabulous people live in my building and we do lots together. As fun and fabulous as high school was, college is 100 times better! I live with my friends, classes are what I actually want to learn about, and we are in charge of ourselves. I can go dance on the quad at midnight, or play Frisbee in the freezing cold, stay up late watching movies or walk to the other side of town on a whim.

My friend Katie and I in Aggie-colored tutu's hugging the legs of the Olsen Statue outside the Romney Stadium after Homecoming.

So I realized, I'm still am that sophomore girl. I still have the same favorite color and I'm still awkward and obnoxious. Above all else, I still have amazing friends. Some are the same, but most aren't actually. That's okay though, because the people I know now are the ones my life will forever change with. At least 6 of them will serve missions the same time I do so we can live together when we get back.  These are the friends that will be there when I meet my future husband and torture him lots. They will live near me when I have my first child. They will be there when my life completely changes, and I couldn't ask for better people to share these life experience with. 

As my life continues and I change some more, I am confident that where ever I go, there will be great friends, and my circle will only grow! Life continues and I can always find the friends I need, and I know that one day, I will find my best friend that I can spend eternity with! I will work hard to make sure to keep some of these friends now forever as well! 

Gather friends as you go through your life's journey!

Our life is our story; we control how we change, and we control how we adjust to the changes! We write it and we decide! So make good choices and change for the better. I did, and am trying to.

A Little Introduction

Hello, My name is Holly, and I love yellow. Some people like yellow, or think they love yellow, but I really do. This is how I often start introducing myself, so I guess it was a proper way to start on here. I am a student at Utah State, and I've been here for about three weeks now. High school and home, to college and independence has not been the easiest transition, but there are some people who helped me out a ton. My roommates and family were a big part of it and I'll probably write about them all you'll get sick of it.

My roommates are the reason I'm writing today. See it all started with Cass, who has been writing a blog for a couple months. When we all found out we were roommates and stalked each other on Facebook, we all pretty much fell in love with her blog, A Special Occasion. As we were all talking about it the other day Tay (times with taylor), Kate (Happy Days with Kate) and Jess (Raes on the Water) all decided to start/revive their blogs. My other roommates were thinking about it too. I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe it was how amazing Cass's was, or maybe it was just to give us a place to talk on and on about what ever we wanted with out feeling bad about posting really long status' on Facebook. I know for me, it was probably the latter, here is my post from a few minutes ago:


"So I have amazing roommates! (as I've posted before.) and about half of them write or are starting blogs. Jessica Christensen posted something on hers that hit me hard. I think it can all be summed up with the picture she posted "Here's the truth about big life changes: Some people won't come with you. And that's okay." While it has been so hard to be away from the friends that struggled through high school with me (Amiee, Hannah,Spencer, Anna, Libby, Emma, and MANY more) I know I am right Where I am supposed to be. My Heavenly Father has strengthened me and made this change easier, and while I still love my hometown friends, I feel like I've known my roommates for forever. So who knows, maybe I'll follow in their footsteps and write a blog. But for now, I just need to thank Cassidy, Taylor, Katelin, Jess, and Audge for instantly loving me, going everywhere with me and becoming my instant best friends! I love all you guys, in Rexburg, Logan, Ecuador, and where ever else you may be!"

Yeah, this is probably a better medium for that sort of stuff. (That post is referring to Jess's blog above). So maybe this is just a place for me to rant and rant about what I believe, and my thoughts and feelings. In English we're currently writing essays about what we believe, and it got me really passionate and excited.

Just be warned, I am no English major. I hate English and usually I'm no good at it. If this bugs you, just stop reading. I won't be offended and probably I won't even know.

So that's me, or at least what I'll tell you for now.

Have a fantastic day.