Back At It!

I just started my fourth week of my last semester at BYU.  So crazy to think about that.  I don't say my last week of school, cause who knows?!  I just might be crazy enough to go back someday, but probably not to BYU.  So I feel like I'm safe to say that.  I'm really loving school.  More that I thought I would.  My last in the classroom experience was hard.  Really hard.  And I questioned if teaching was for me or not.  Well, I've been through 3 weeks in a second grade class at Barnett Elementary School in Payson, UT, and I'm loving it!  I feel like I'm thriving down there instead of just surviving!  I'm excited about my lessons and I LOVE those kids!  Who knew you could love a bunch of 7 year olds in such a short amount of time?!  I'm also loving actually getting ready and wearing teacher-y clothes :)  Still had to take a first day of school pic to send to my mom!  Ha

While I'm loving my schooling part of being back at it, school most definitely does NOT rule my life!  I've been loving the things of my single/college/BYU/Provo life.  

One of my favorite things of being back is the gym.  I got a pass to VASA this semester and it's been so nice!  I don't ever have to wait for weights or machines, and it's literally a block and a half from my apartment.  

I'm loving my roommates!  I knew Ashlee (the super cute blonde on the left) a little bit, and we both met Jessi (the babe on the right) when we moved in.  We had a fun ice cream party on Wednesday night with a bunch of our friends, and it was a hit!  It was so fun for me to meet more of their friends and to see some of mine.  We're definitely doing it again next month :)  I also really love our apartment and ward.  Everything about it is great!  

My mom has already been down to visit twice, and there's no complaints here!  I LOVE when she comes!  This past weekend we hiked Timp and did our center street walk.  We found this fun bookstore down there!  Pioneer Book.  So great!  I'm not a lover of reading, so for me to say that is a pretty big deal...

I'm enjoying concocting my own meals again.  I've had some interesting ones.  The most random one was probably taco meat with spinach, brown rice, and plain greek yogurt.  It was actually quite a bit better than in sounds!  I also have no clue what I would do without eggs.  I've eaten at least one every single day.  

I've also just loved being back at the Y.  I really do love BYU.  I love the campus, I love going to the games, I just love the spirit of this place.  I'm not like a psycho fan or anything, but I'm so so glad I came to school here.  I've met so many good people here and while I'm not going to stay here forever, I'll forever be thankful for the time I have spent here.  It's definitely special to me.   

My cousin Sadie is finally down here at school too, and it's been fun to do some things with her!  I just love how comfortable I can be around here and we've had fun on a few hikes.  I've also been able to do some things with Liz Dayton from Cokeville, and that's been fun for me to get to know her better.  She's a great girl!  

Life is really good right now.  I'm really feeling content with what's happening, and I feel like it's God's way of letting me know that I'm on the right track.  I'm thankful for that.  

Peru!!!! .....again :)

I had the awesome opportunity to go back to Cusco, Peru.  I lived in Cusco for 3 months back in the fall of 2014, and I never dreamed I'd be able to go back this soon?!  This time I even got to take my mom!!  It was so great!  We went with our high school Spanish Club and community members and it was so fun to go with friends :)  Here are some of my favorite moments in pictures. 

The best juice in the world is found at San Pedro Market :)

 Pig head anyone??

Familia Delgado.  I lived with these sweet people the three months I was in Cusco.  I was able to go over one evening and have dinner with them.  They are so great!  

So many people on the trip brought suitcases full of clothes down to donate.  We left them with Flor, Andres, and Daniel to distribute where they see need, because they know.  I taught preschool with Flor and she is probably the most Christ-like person I have ever met.  Such a blessing to know her and I am so glad I was able to go to their home and introduce so many friends to her and her family.  

 Stairs to Cristo Blanco.  These people are troopers!

The view of Cusco from up there is fabulous!

The Plaza at night

Mom and Brooklyn in a doorway in Saqsayhuaman.  

Pano of the ruins. 

I look like this in so many pictures.  It's just incredible?!  Anyways, this guy was playing some fun Peruvian music.

The Sacred Valley coming into view. 

 Mom having a stare down with the Condor. 

 The alpaca vest that I wanted SO BAD!

 Awesome niches in Ollantaytambo.  

So many stairs!

 All of the group in Ollantaytambo. 

 The sun coming up on our hike up to Machu Picchu.  

 With my mom :) :) 

 Mom and Carol Clark.  Two amazing ladies!

 These guys are just too much fun! 

The sign of a dang good day--dirty feet.  

We just had so so so much fun in and around Cusco.  I just felt so comfortable there this time around and it was so fun to see everything that was still so familiar.  The people, the streets, the smells.  Memories just came flooding back and so many new memories were made.  I love that place.  'Til next time :)   

The Amazon

We went to the Amazon at the start of our trip.  There was a group of 14 of us.  We got to go on jungle walks, fishing, visit a village, cruise along the Amazon River, and so much more!  We stayed at Heliconia Lodge about an hour and a half out of Iquitos, Peru via boat.  The accommodations were great!   We had the best time!  Here are some of my favorite pictures.  

Mom feeding a monkey.

So picturesque.  

You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.  Their vine lassos were the best!  

The leaf fans were very needed!

 Some cows shading up. 

These kids.  So dang cute! 

 Dinner time! 

 Carol killed us all in sapo!

 Giant lily pad

 Lunch.  They always made it look so pretty. 

 Some homes up on stilts.  These were right where we were getting off the boat in Iquitos.  

The little wooden chair on the bike was my favorite! 

The rooftops, the greenery, the sky.  

And here's a fun little video of parts of the trip :)

Temple Trips

I've been lucky enough to go to the Cebu, Philippines Temple not once, but twice!  The first time I went with the Institute.  We had a great time!  The second time I went with Angie, Yet-yet, Rix, Lillian, and some members of our ward.  We also had a great time!  

Our travel arrangements were the same both times, so I'll just explain it all once :)  To get to Cebu we hopped on a boat around midnight that went through the night.  The seating arrangements were bunk beds.  It looked like this: 

Top Bunk

Bottom Bunk

Both trips I slept like a rock!  No covers, lights on, people chatting--I'm a pretty good sleeper :) I woke up just in time for the sunrise and getting off the boat :)

We got there first things in the morning, around 5:30-6:00 and headed straight to the temple grounds.  The temple grounds in Cebu is kind of like a compound.  There is the temple, a stake center, the mission home, and a pension house.  The pension house has rooms for members attending the temple as well as a cafeteria and locker rooms.  Both times we were able to get cleaned up and get some breakfast there before we attended the temple.  I was able to do a total of 3 sessions of baptisms in my two trips. While we waited for people to get dome I got to spend some time walking and sitting around the temple grounds.  They were beautiful, as usual.  

The pension house is quite nice, and it was so convenient to be able to eat right there while we waited for other members of our groups to finish with their sessions.  I was able to find these 2 pictures painted by Grandma Minerva, as well as her painting of Christ in the Red Robe that was inside of the baptistry.  

The temple workers are called there on missions.  I was able to meet two different couples, both from Utah.  They claim it's the best mission on earth, and I believe them!  All of the senior couples live on the 3rd floor of the pension house, right next to the temple.  They get to go out and eat at different places around the city.  Then the temple closes for 2 weeks every 6 months, so then they get to go and vacation for those 2 weeks.  Sounds pretty great to me!

Both trips we stayed in Cebu for one night.  With the Institute we stayed at a place that was kind of like a hostel.  Then the second time we stayed at the Pension house.  To get home we caught a bus that drove us to the south eastern tip of Cebu Island.  That ride was about 4-4.5 hours with a nice stop in the middle.  Then we caught a short 20-30 minute boat back to Negros Island, and from there a short jeep ride to Dumaguete.   It was good for me to see the sacrifice that the members here go through to attend the temple.  

We had some neat experiences with members in my groups in both trips to the temple that helped to strengthen my testimony.  There are some strong members here and it has been so good for me to experience The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints here in Dumaguete.  It's the same.  There are valiant leaders, strong members, missionaries, and the same special spirit.  I love this gospel and I love my Savior.  I love attending His temples and the renewed energy it gives me each time I attend.