Finishing Finals - Home Free

13 April - 19 April 2020

Time flies when you're super stressed because it's finals week! Haha :) I worked hard this week to overcome my lack of motivation. I finished up all my projects, papers, and exams!

Monday and Tuesday were spent working on my Neuro paper, which was due on Wednesday. I am fairly confident that when I finally finished and submitted it, these words escaped my lips, "Blessed day!"

On Wednesday evening, I got set apart by the bishop for my new calling as the first counselor in the Relief Society. It was so good to see bishop and his wife again in person! Plus it was nice to be there with McCall and Rachel. Afterwards I enjoyed catching up with them. The blessing I received was so sweet and exactly what I needed to hear. I am willing to work hard and serve others in my calling, and I'm grateful for the wonderful sisters that I get to work with.

At work this week, I had Ben try all of my popcorn flavors. His favorite ended up being the white cheddar, though he also liked bacon cheddar. I finished cleaning all of the upholstery and then fixed all the creaky doors in my area, plus a leaky faucet.

So... finals. Yes, I finished them all on Saturday. Bright and early, I went down to the library and studied for a bit before taking my Behavioral Neurobiology exam, and I got an 86%, which is about the score I got from the last exam (after the curve), so I can't complain. I worked hard in that class and will end with either an A- or A, and I am so glad to be done with school this semester! I am definitely feeling burnt out. I watched some movies and also cleaned up around the house and finished my essay exam for my Healthy Sexuality class. I'm home free! Literally, I get to fly home on Monday and see my family!!

This is how I have felt this week about finals:

Social Distancing in the Library (see the caution tape?)

Sunday was marvelous. I attended ward council and Relief Society via Zoom. Afterwards, I went on a 45 minute walk with Lexy around campus and talked with her. I enjoyed hearing how she was doing but was annoyed with myself at the end of the walk to realize we were focused on me again. She is so great at listening and focusing on others, and I really need to work at it because I want to be there for others as opposed to talking about myself all the time. That is something I'm working on. And I am noticing improvement! I love that it's okay not to be great at something as long as you are willing to work hard at it. Hard work beats out lack of skill if you have determination and humility. Afterwards, I met up with one of my coworkers to help him with his reading comprehension. He is from Egypt and is here studying English. It was really rewarding. I loved getting to serve, and I was so happy when he asked me questions about my religion (since he is Muslim). I got to explain what the difference was between a church and a temple.

I've also had a couple of people who have reached out to me this week randomly, including an old coworker I haven't seen in three years! We had a very good phone call and caught up on how life was going. Additionally, I got to meet with my CAPS counselor again, and it was so good. I am so grateful that the Savior puts people in our lives to help us in the moment we need them. I am truly so blessed and I am so excited for the bright future ahead of me!

Spring is here!

I am far from perfect, and I wish I was better, but I am diligently continuing forth in my faith and doing what I know is right. I have hope for a bright future and am progressing forward one step at a time.

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Finals and Feasting

16 December - 22 December 2019

Hola mi amigos! What an eventful week! Finals ended and I got to fly home on a plane to Arizona. But it was crazy before all that went down!

Monday
This morning I went to Dr. Hershey in Orem to get treated for my egg allergy. I'm really hoping these treatments work (or at least help me feel better). Then I went to lunch with some friends from my Art Education class in the Cannon Center. It was fun to have something exciting to do that day and to get to know them a bit better. Then I left to go study. I was at the library for a couple of hours, studying for my Psychology of Religion final. We basically just have to write three essays within three hours, all from memory. I went home and took a nap because I was so exhausted. Then I studied some more up until that evening when our ward got together for a "finals feast."

Tuesday
I had my second appointment with Dr. Hershey to get rid of my dairy allergy. Then I spent more hours studying for my final. My stomach wasn't feeling well after whatever I ate yesterday, which is a bit frustrating because I'm trying so hard to help my body. Ugh. Anyways, it was my last day working at the MTC, and I brought a camera and took pictures around MTC campus. I'll miss having access to that beautiful building with the murals and numberless missionaries! And I'll miss all of my awesome coworkers and friends I've made there.

Wednesday
I studied in the morning, reviewing all my notes and writing down things on a whiteboard from memory, which really helped. Isaac came over to get some videos to make me a commercial-type video for my channel, The Missionary Approach. I really hope that the channel I started truly will help people! Then... I took my final. Last one! Hooray! I have no clue how I did, but I remembered everything I studied and was able write somewhat coherently. I did my best, so that'll have to be sufficient. I spent time editing videos for my channel. Katie and Kayla got me a cut Christmas present: an extra long spoon that says "My Peanut Butter Spoon."

Thursday
I finished Miranda's painting! I'm happy with how it turned out, even though it is not perfect (can you tell what is missing?). She really loved it. Miranda gave me an awesome present in return, some lotion and pillow spray! I made up a yummy lunch and then my neighbor Mira drove me to the Provo airport. The flight was awful on my poor ear. It has trouble popping, I guess, so it builds up pressure with the elevation change and hurts really bad. It was good to see all of my fam again! And to have a mom-cooked meal :) :) :)!!! I ate at least four yummy tacos and my stomach almost died (from happiness and overindulgence). Grandpa Jim was kind enough to let me stay over there in his extra guest room, so I don't have to share with Lucy in the loft.

Friday
My ear was still hurting me and I had a headache all night long. My stomach was also hurting me. Ugh. It is the worst to be sickly on break, but I guess that is what breaks are made for... Hey, but I was actually able to ride on the motorized unicycle! Lucy has really enjoyed having me home, I believe. We have a lot of the same interests and hobbies (such as art) so it's fun for her.

Saturday
We had the most delicious dinner! The sister missionaries came over for dinner. Right after, we left to go to the temple because Kayla was going through to get her endowments! It was so nice getting to sit next to my mom in the session.

Sunday
We only had one hour of church today, and I walked there with Valerie and Lucy. I took a fat nap after lunch (leftovers from last night). By the time dinner rolled around, I wasn't hungry because I ate way too much for lunch. Basically, I'm just fat and lazy over here on break... though I have been teaching mom and Lucy some good exercises to do, so I'm not completely wasting away! That evening, we were a bit late meeting up to go on a ward missionary Christmas-caroling hayride, so we drove around for 20 minutes trying to find them! But we did, so we joined the ride. It was fun, but then went on so lonnngggg....

Something that I learned from my studies this week is how much I truly appreciate my Savior and God. I have their promise and reassurance that as I turn to Them, I can be uplifted and given strength beyond my own to bear the trials and hardships of life. However, Cain did not follow the covenant path, and after killing his brother and receiving the consequence, he said "my punishment is greater than I can bear" (Moses 5:38). When we don't accept Jesus Christ and His Atonement, life is greater than we can bear. The next life will be too much to bear. I've been blessed to not have to feel that for an extended amount of time because I always have the Savior there to hastily lift the crushing weight of my burden when I humble myself and turn to him. Turning to Him is repenting. And that's why I love repentance and change and humility--because I can't do this life thing alone. I need my Savior.
I hope y'all have a merry Christmas!

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Finals and Friendships

12 August - 18 August

Hey! What a week! Life is such a roller-coaster; it is a fact of life! This week had its ups and downs, but as I reflect over my week, I can't helped but feel so blessed, overall. I didn't really take any pictures this week, so I took two blurry screen-shots from the videos I took of me ice skating!

Monday
Last day of classes finally arrived! Hooray! But also yikes. On the bright side, I didn't have to go in for work at 5am because I wasn't hired back at my custodial job (after being fired so I could work ACT camp). I went in around 7:30am to pick up the paperwork to fill out in order to get re-hired. I had my last class for the summer! We presented our research project, which was really cool. Ours was one of the few experiments that actually found an effect! For Family Home Evening, our wards combined out on the church lawn, eating pizza. I went for a bit but didn't stay long because I couldn't have the pizza.

Tuesday
I had work this morning. Blah. But at least I got a raise so I'm now making $12 an hour! Valerie was actually up before me, finishing packing up. I gave her a big hug goodbye, and she left on her way back to AZ for graduate school. Farewell, my sista sista! Also, I had my interview this afternoon to be a TRC actor. I think it went well, but we'll see what they tell me in two weeks... Right after, I rushed to campus for the test review. I haven't been motivated to study for my final tomorrow, so I figured attending the TA's review would help. Then I left a bit early to head over to the MFT Q&A session at the Taylor building. I studied for a bit that evening.

Wednesday
I left from work a bit early to give myself some more time to finish studying. I felt ready. I was also just dreading it. But I finally went and took my final. I was unsure about some, but I just needed a B. Well, miraculously I ended with a 95%. So yeah, that was a blessing! Afterwards, I went ice skating with Lexy. She was kind of afraid to skate, since she fell and hurt herself last time, but I think she enjoys going. That evening, I helped her roommate, Amy, to move her stuff to a new apartment!

Thursday
During work this morning, I found a card in the trash that had some free lunches at the Cannon Center still on it. It belonged to another Volleyball player. I asked the secretary if I could use it, and she said, "Sure! I would, if I were you!" So I got a free lunch at the Cannon Center! Unfortunately, they didn't have many options for me, so besides some fruit and gluten-free desserts, the only thing I could eat was a hamburger patty. Plain. Well, I did put some ketchup on it. That evening, I had a date from a guy I met on Mutual. We went slacklining, which was super hard, but I was slowly getting the hand of it. It's similar to walking on a tightrope (not that I've ever done that), but the line is flat and slack (so it bounces and wobbles a ton when you walk on it).

Friday
After work, I ate a bit of breakfast. When I went down to the Cannon Center for lunch, I was told that my card had expired. Noooo! So sad, but also it's fine because it wasn't actually mine to begin with and I already received one free meal. But then I didn't know what to eat, so I went home and researched recipes to print off to make my very own cook book, once and for all. Hopefully I can get into a better habit of cooking for myself! I went ice skating that afternoon and truly feel that I am slowly improving! I had Whitney and her roommate, Megan-Jean, over for dinner. I made Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini. It was alright (not as good as I was hoping) but I don't know if I cooked the chicken long enough... oopsies.

Saturday
I slept in, but then woke up and got ready to attend the temple. While I was sitting in the endowment room, I thought to myself, "How is me being here helping me to become a better person? What do I need to learn?" I am trying to develop that attitude about everything I do, because I know that more importantly than doing is becoming. I'm not sure if I got anything new and revelatory out of it, but I'm grateful that I am at least becoming more conscious. I took it super easy the rest of the day because I didn't feel like doing anything. I'm so burnt out from attending school for 7 months straight, not giving myself a real summer break. With Fall semester starting in two weeks, I hope that if I do nothing and am super lazy, then I will get sick of doing nothing and will be motivated to go hard this Fall semester!

Sunday
I awoke around 5am feeling awful. I went to the kitchen to get water and take some medicine, and I almost blacked out! I sat on the kitchen chair for approximately 15 minutes, waiting to see if the medicine had helped, then went back to bed. I got ready for church and really enjoyed sacrament meeting today. I felt God speaking to me and guiding me during the talks, and I even felt like the hymns were picked out just for me. I'm grateful to renew my covenants and have a fresh start every week. I really needed that today. Then I taught Sunday School. I didn't feel that it was my best ever, but I still received some compliments and know the Spirit is the real teacher anyway, as long as I try my best. Plus, you got to cut yourself a bit of slack whenever you aren't feeling very good. I was invited to attend someone else's Come, Follow Me study group in the afternoon, and it was different that what I was used to, mostly because I felt a bit uncomfortable from not knowing everyone super well.

One scripture that really stuck out to me this week is found in Romans 13:8-10.

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

“For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

I took this to meant that if I had perfect love, I would not break any other commandment. I would have no desire to steal, kill, or lie if I perfectly loved others. I would take better care of my body if I perfectly loved myself. Thus, if there is a commandment we are breaking, we need to figure out how it relates to the principle of love and work on that aspect of love. If we pray for charity and love in the specific aspect in which we are failing, God will help us overcome that weakness by growing our ability to love. 

Much love,

Emily Burnham