I say what an accomplishment, because I've managed to make it to the age of 25 in the Mormon Singles World. My sister Emily used to always tell me Ill probably get married when I'm 19. Well, i definitely surpassed that age. So, for my 25th birthday I just wanted to remind myself of all the really awesome things I've done. I have been so blessed and I think it's important for me to document, because I already have forgotten so many things. This is for me to help me be grateful, not for me to sound prideful or something. So, here is my list of things I've done in my single years that were amazing and I really am grateful for the opportunities. If I were to get married anytime after this point I'd really feel fulfilled and have no regrets!
- I lived in Stanley, Idaho in the Sawtooth Mountain Range close to Redfish Lake the summer between my Junior and Senior year. I loved my time there. I learned a lot about myself and what I want in my life. I also met some pretty sketchy but great people. I also had the cool opportunity for FHE go on a plane ride through the Sawtooth Mountain Range. It was AWESOME. It was so beautiful and the lake and the mountains were just to Magnificent for words.
- The summer after I graduated I got to live with my Aunt and Uncle in Virginia. I got to hang out and go with them places. That year we travelled across the country. We got to see a lot of really cool places especially church history sites. We followed the Mormon Trail on our way to our Family Reunion. The family reunion was great and my whole family went to the temple to do some work. It was awesome I got to be baptized for some family members. It was a great experience. Wow, that seems like a long time ago! We got to stay in this BEAUTIFUL lodge in Jackson Hole completed with a Spa and Beautiful Waterfall Fountains. We also got to go boating a ton at Lake Anna and on the Potomac to see all the sites of D.C. We got to go rock climbing, running through the Forrest and all sorts of other great and exciting things. It was a great summer. I believe we also went to Mississippi that summer. We did so much it's really hard to recall everything.
- My first year of College was a blast. I lived with 11 other girls and we had a good time. I remember being so nervous to meet my roommates and get to know them .However, it turned out to be such a great experience. We did a lot of fun things stayed up all hours of the night every night. We made some fun trips to Salt Lake to go dancing and also Boise. I went to a Good Charlotte Concert with a bunch of people from my ward. My ward was pretty much awesome. BTW, previously I had been to two Backstreet Boys Concerts, live couldn't have been much better than that!
- After my first year of College I didn't get to be as adventurous. I stayed in Pocatello and worked and lived with the family. For some reason this summer is pretty blurry. I must not have done anything to exciting. I did train all summer however to complete my goal of running a marathon. In September of 2004 I ran my first half marathon in Pocatello and my first Full marathon in St. George Utah. It was awesome. Right before this I met some awesome people namely Mikkel and Chelsey. These two girls became my good friends and still are to this day. We did a lot of fun things together, mostly watch basketball games. I also met one of my other really good friends to this day, Sarah Smith. Sarah and I loved to just hang out and no matter what we did whether it was clubhouse dances at the apartments or driving around telling jokes we had the greatest time together. This was a good year for me and I made some great friends whom I just love and adore.
- Summer of 05 was Classic! I decided I really just needed to get out and experience life and go to a new place. So, I started looking on the Internet at resort places and ultimately decided and got a job in Lake Powell. Bullfrog, UT. So, I packed up my car and by myself at the age of 20 left Idaho and went to live in Bullfrog UT for the summer. I was terrified at first, but I knew this was the right move for me. I had an INCREDIBLE SUMMER!! Oh my goodness It was a crazy one for sure, but so good. I loved meeting people here, I also learned a lot about myself this summer. I met some really great people from all over the country and all over the world. I was one of the only Mormons out of a whole bunch of young kids. Its crazy to look back now and see how Heavenly Father helped mold me into becoming a future missionary. This experience definitely played a huge part in me being prepared for that. I got many opportunities to share the gospel and I gained some good friends I wish I still had contact with. I also got to be at LAKE POWELL I mean seriously how could I not be happy. Every night was a party and every day off was time at the Lake. It was so glorious and I just really can't explain the amount of Joy and the amount of fun I had here. It really was a great great experience that I'm glad I went through with and that Heavenly Father helped me do.
- The next year I lived again with a previous roommate and we had a good time. We met some new guy friends and we lived in a sweet apartment with a pool and game rooms and they were new so not a lot of people lived there. I had a lot of fun meeting new people and hanging out with them and doing random things like going on hikes and what not. At the end of my time at this apartment is when I really decided to go on a mission. I had met some great people who were good examples and encouraged me to serve a mission. I had many blessings and cool experiences that helped me see that I was supposed to serve a mission. I never thought I would, but fortunately God knew better. So, I moved to Virginia again for the summer
- This time the summer in Virginia was quite a different experience. It was still great but it was more humbling and more spiritual. It was the best preparation I could of had for my mission and for life. I got to spend three months spending time with Uncle who was very sick from a brain tumor and my aunt who is such a faithful woman. I spent time in serving my uncle and seeing countless amounts of people serve my aunt and uncle. My uncle was like a father to me and I love him very much. I spent many hours with him at the hospital and at appointments and going to work or on walks. My aunt and I's favorite story of my time there is as follows: My uncle although he was sick and could hardly walk was a fighter. He hated that he couldn't be his active self doing rock climbing, mountain climbing, running, swimming, biking, and whatever else. So, one of his pleasures was having someone take him on a walk. The lane they live on was awesome and every house put out a bench for my uncle to sit on to rest when we'd go on these walks. So, one time I was with him and he got tired and wanted to sit down. At this house it was not a bench but rather two wooden chairs. Well, my sweet uncle sat down and guess what? He fell right in. The chair broke and he was stuck in this chair. I tried to pull him out but I couldnt' do it on my own. So, I ran home laughing and crying at the same time. I walked into the door and my aunt was like what is going on..I was laughing so hard I couldn't tell her anything except I need your help lets go. So we hoped in the car and drove up to where he was we both just sat there laughing and crying at my sweet uncle. We did eventually help him out:) It was those moments where we just had to laugh or it would be to hard. I watched my aunt do incredible things and I learned so much this summer about faith and love. I felt the spirit constantly and was a part of some pretty amazing things. I love my aunt and Uncle very much. My uncle Dave is greatly missed but I know he is in a a good place. I can't wait until we can all be reunited with him.
- This experience in Virginia really helped me be prepared for my mission. I left for my mission to Minneapolis Minnesota on Sept 13th 2006. I officially became a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. It was definitely some hard times, but overall my mission was such an amazing experience. I learned so much in a year and half about the gospel, and life, and people than I could have ever hoped or dreamed of. I met so many amazing people and I learned so much from them. I loved sharing the gospel with others. I have never felt the burning of the spirit so strong as when I could testify to the world of the gospel. If I could do it all over I would. I love this gospel and I love all the people I came in contact with and my mission prepared me to be a better wife and mother in the future. It helped me to just be a better person overall. Now, I still struggle with being that same person I was on my mission someone I feel I loved a lot more than myself now. But, I'm working on being that person again, it's really hard though.
- Anyway, I again went to VA after my mission. I worked in a Law office and I played and saw the sites and went to the Ocean and went to the Lake.I went to Mississippi.I went to New York City and have gone to Broadway shows. I had a great time. It was a little difficult at times, missing David since it was just a short time after. I also never had the closure while I was on my mission. It wasn't until coming here that I could have it. I know that he's in a good place. But, It was a good summer and helped me get adjusted to real life before I had to consume my life with school and work after a mission.
- The next two years up and to this point have been a lot of school and work and a lot of time invested in Social and other endeavors. For the last year I served on Institute Council of Religion. It was great. I got to meet a lot of people and help plan and participate in all the great activities of the church. I also met my institute Bro. Laga who has been a huge blessing in my life. I am so grateful for his counsel and guidance in the last few years. He has truly been a huge huge example and great friend. His family has been great and welcomed me into their lives and their home as family. I have been horseback riding, and boating and swimming. I got to make lots of fun and short trips to Salt Lake and Boise and Lake Powell with my friend Brittany.I also in 2009 went to California to see my friend Ammon where I also met a new friend who is great Robert Holgate. I got to go to Mission Reunions and conference every time since then. Lake Powell of 2009 was such an amazing and fun trip! Oh it fulfilled my need for the water and for Lake Powell it was my first time back since working there and I absolutely love it. So we wake boarded and cliff jumped and all the good things associated with Powell. In the summer of 09 I also camped a ton, went swimming a ton, and had a great summer with my friends. In september of 2009 I ran my second full marathon. It felt great to accomplish another marathon and I felt pretty good. During the summer of 09 we had a another family reunion, we have one about every two years. they are always so great! My uncle had just gotten home from his mission in Portugal. I love my family. Some of us did a triathlon to honor and remember my uncle DAvid. He loved doing stuff like that. I think I won too which helped my bragging rights. haha I have done so many fun things with friends and family it's unbelievable.
- In my lifetime I have seen and been through approximately 44 of the 50 states. I have visited and seen all the church history sites, some more than once. I have had many times with family camping and playing in the mountains or lakes. I have four wheeled and had many adventures there. I have travelled by myself and been on my own. I have been to Washington D.C. more times than I can count. I got to go to the temple with Kim Lowe and her husband Zak which was an INCREDIBLE experience. I have just had more and more experiences that I could ever list and I have many more on the way.
1 comment:
Happy Birthday Abby!!!! Is Texas one of those 44 states you've been to? If not, you need to come see San Antonio! :)
Wow, reading all that...I'd forgotten so many of the things you've done. What a great life Abby!
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