Farewell Foggy Provo!

 2 August - 8 August 2021

I am exhausted. This has been my last full week in Provo, prompting lots of reflection about my time spent here. I am most grateful for the person I have become because of the people I have known and the things I've learned from my education. I am still a Spiritual person, and I am closer to God in a lot of ways. I'm more patient, more compassionate, less judgement, less anxious, more hopeful, and more peaceful. I have more confidence in my friendships, less fear about the future unknowns, and more feelings of priesthood power--God's power--in my life. I think I've had all summer to come to terms with finishing school and all the chapters that will close in my life. I think that's why a lot of the summer has been difficult. But now I am just excited for the new chapters opening ahead of me. I have so much to look forward to, and a family to make memories with. I am excited and ready to go home. I don't know how long I will live there, but I know it's the next right step for me to take at this time, and that is enough to go on. 

As for my week, it's been pretty productive. I've earnestly started organizing and packing my belongings into my car. I am confident I will fit everything I need in there! I just may not be able to use my rear view mirror to see out my back window... hehe. I've been selling things I can't take with me and practicing daily on the violin for the musical number on Sunday and for the ward talent show. I took a load of stuff over to DI to get rid of on Tuesday, and that evening I had a fun girls' night with my friends. I helped one of the girls dye her hair. It was exhausting! She had to bleach it first and then dye it. On Wednesday, I went on a painting frenzy and painted random things on the rest of the rocks that decorate our outside wall underneath our living room window. I wonder how long those rocks will stay there... That evening, I babysat for the Nixon family, though actually I watched four completely random kids that were over because the actually Nixon kids were all gone, but the family friend's kids were there. I am good at connecting and playing with kids, and they all had a great time. On Thursday, I attended my last in-person voice lesson. It's been SUPER smoky this week from big fires in neighboring states, plus I was just getting better from a sore throat, so my voice was weak and tired. But Christina asked if I'd like to continue lessons over Zoom, which I was very happy about. Oh yeah, and on my walk outside (like two minutes into it), I got stung by a bug! And my hand swelled up and felt like fire in my veins and still hurt a couple days after! :(

Friday was my last temple shift, and I had a marvelous time. I am surely going to miss those cute and spiritual old ladies at the temple, and they said if I'm ever in town, I need to come in during the Friday 2 shift so they can all see me! I felt so much power in the ordinances this week as I prayed for patrons on both sides of the veil and focused on the authority I have from God to perform the sacred ordinances and allow the power of Godliness to manifest. On Saturday, I helped out a friend unexpectedly. I'd been going to borrow gluten-free flour, and then she needed me to stay to help get her out the door. I truly believe she has OCD and scrupulosity that affects her daily functioning, and my presence there really helped her out, even though what I thought would be a 15 minute trip turned into an hour and a half. I had lunch with Kathrine at India Palace. The food was pretty good, but I ordered vegan to make sure it was dairy free and didn't realize that meant no meat, so I just got a ton of beans :(. I baked all afternoon, making pumpkin bread, banana bread, and cake (all gluten and dairy free, of course) for my "Come and Go" event in the evening to see friends. Everyone loved the baked goods! After, I went to a friend's house and watched Ratatouille with them.

Sunday was a really good day. Becca came over to talk and say goodbye, and I gave her some things I won't be taking with me. I got to play the violin duet in church with Mira, and it sounded really good. I felt the power of God from the sacrament ordinance. Relief Society was good, and I bore my testimony at the end about the temple. Kathrine came to our ward and I fed her lunch afterwards. She helped do my dishes. I went to reconnect in the afternoon and ate fresh salsa and did family history. In the evening, I went to Come, Follow Me and ward prayer, and then went for the game night, but I brought my violin and asked if we could have a jam night instead, and so many people jumped on the idea. We had a piano, multiple guitars, a saxophone, a flute, and of course, my violin. It was fun, and the best part was that the guy (Josh) let me try his saxophone. It was hard to get it to make noise at first. He said to really use my lungs and blow. Nothing happened. He told me to put more of my mouth on the mouth piece, and then I blew hard and this loud honking noise came out and scared everyone--including me! Then I laughed so hard. I couldn't get it to blow softly, it was an all or nothing reaction, but I think I could get it down with more practice. Then I got to try the flute, and I was able to blow on it and make noise on my first try, and Josh was really impressed. I think I'd make a pretty awesome flute player. Then I said goodbye to my friends and hugged them all before leaving.

Much love,

Emily Burnham