Y-Group Leader

Howdy fam and friends! What another wonderful and amazing week! Just as classes finished up, they are already starting again. So quick! I am definitely not going to do year-round next year, because it can be very tiring and taxing!

Monday
I had my last basketball class for Spring term today, and our team won! I was somehow on fire today and made so many epic shots! I also went to a two hour review for my psych class, and then Home Evening, which was dinner at our Bishop's home. Yum! It was the fourth time in a row seeing our Bishop and his wife, which was super cool! I truly love them and am so grateful for them.

Tuesday
I studied some more today, and then because institute was cancelled due to finals, Valerie hosted a game night!! A lot of people showed up, including my friend Olivia from work! She is super chill. We had a fun time. I also got to go and see Levi's Boba bus that he bought and renovated. I hope his business does well!

Wednesday
I studied for and took my Psychological Testing final today. It was a relief to get it out of the way, even though I did not do as well as I had hoped for. It's also crazy that I don't get to see Valerie until the evenings! I've been going to work this week from 5am to 9:30am, and Valerie leaves for work before I get back. She works until after 5pm! I really cherish the evenings we get to spend together.

Thursday
Today was a very relaxed day. Finals were finished. I went shopping and then painted a giant sign that afternoon. It's a bulletin board, but I wanted it to have a cool background. It didn't turn out just quite how I was expecting, but it wasn't too bad, either!



Friday
I had signed up to be a group leader for New Student Orientation (NSO), so I left right after work to go. I accidentally missed the first hour when I was supposed to sign in, and I somehow got moved to a new group, but it was cool because I got two T-shirts, plus I was able to join the group of two guys from my Spring basketball class! The crazy thing was that my freshman roommate Bailey's younger sister ended up in that group, so I got to see her again! I really enjoyed serving, even though it was a long day! It really gave me purpose and joy to help others and look at campus through fresh eyes. I also got a voucher to buy something at the Cougar Café, so I ordered from Aloha Plate and got this giant dish of pork and rice, plus a yuppy mango-pineapple Dole whip. I got home around 3pm and went over to hang out with my friend Whitney. We all went to a pool party (but didn't actually swim) and then went to get free Jamba Juice! Then we went back to her apartment complex and played basketball. I got home just in time for dinner. What a tiring, but rewarding, day!



Saturday
It was so nice not to go to work this morning! I got ready for the second day of NSO, meeting my group of kids on campus at 8:30am. We went to the JSB for the devotional, which I really liked. It was a good reminder that I am at BYU for a specific reason, and I have access to so many tools and resources during my time here. The rest of the day was full of giving the freshmen a tour around campus, with a lunch break in the middle. I ate grilled chicken and fries from Chick-Fil-A (because they were out of salads). I really enjoyed the tour because I actually learned some new things from the presentations about some free stuff we have access to! When I got home around 3pm, Valerie and I went to do initatories at the Provo Temple.  That evening, I finished my readings for class, and then took Valerie with me to attend the NSO finale. We played a couple games, but it was kind of lame, so we grabbed some food and left.

Sunday
I travelled to Heber City this morning to attend the home coming of Sister Alyssa Caldwell! I was so happy to see Sister Morgan Black there as well, and it was so fun to catch up with her. After sacrament meeting, I also got to see Sister Bowman and her cute mom, so it was a mini FTM reunion! I attended Relief Society and prayed for inspiration of an insight I could share, and then followed the Spirit and spoke up, which was really cool. I don't always think I sound very eloquent when speaking--in fact, I know I don't. I stumble over my words and have a hard time trying to convey my thoughts and feelings. But I'm sincere and I know the Spirit can help communicate the things that I cannot. Afterwards, I went over to Alyssa's home for a luncheon and ate some very delicious food. Sister Caldwell (Alyssa's mom) made banana bread and sent me home with it! She is so kind! I drove back to Provo and made it back just in time to attend Reconnect at the Bishop's home, even though I was so exhausted and desperately needed a nap.

I am so grateful for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. While many people have been brought back from the dead, according to the scriptures, what Christ did was unprecedented. He did not simply come back to life. He had power and authority to become an eternal physical being, never again to be corrupted by time and physical affliction. He is eternal, constant, and permanent. So many other things in this life come and go, including loved ones. But because of Jesus Christ, we can live again. Eternally. Together.

When Your Bishop Stalks You...

Hola, mi amigos! My goals have been going very well! I've been practicing Spanish all week long and writing every single day! It truly has brought a sense of meaning and purpose in my life to set meaningful goals and to work hard at them.

Monday
For some reason, I woke up around 3:30am and had the hardest time going back to sleep. So finally, I just got up and went into work early, at 4:40am. I had my basketball class, then came home and worked on homework. I went to my Psychological Testing class, which was very inspiring. We talked about the essential importance of practice in developing our talents. Some people may have natural talents, but without deliberate practice, they will never obtain "expert" level. My teacher made a comment that stuck with me, "Happiness is found in working hard at something you find valuable." And because we live in a world where it is so easy to be distracted and to procrastinate, we must schedule into our day the things that matter most, and work on them no matter what else arises. That evening, we met up with our new Home Evening groups and got to know each other.

Tuesday
Work has been fine as long as I have something to listen to as I'm working. Thank goodness for the Deseret Bookshelf app! I had basketball class again, and my team lost, but I scored the first three or four baskets! But mostly because of another really good kid. I worked on some readings for tomorrow, and that evening, went to institute. So, our regular teacher was gone and had called a lady to substitute. She was very knowledgeable about Jewish history and the Bible, so I learned a lot, but it was more like a lecture than an interactive learning experience. Everyone has different teaching styles, but I guess I prefer letting the class speak up and share insights, because I feel that is when everyone learns the most, from each other and the Spirit.

Wednesday
We won our basketball game today, but only because we were being crushed and our teacher jumped in to help our team! He scored a couple three-pointers to help us catch up. I also officially ordered a very nice, and expensive, pair of figure skates today. That is going to be my hobby! And with the pass I bought, I get free admission for the next few months! Today was my last day of class for Psychological Testing, and we talked about psychopaths and differentiating between sane and insane people. Is a person insane or can their environment make the insane? Now that I am in my major classes (I only have a couple of generals left to take), my classes are super interesting! Although our discussion was interesting, we went overtime and had less time in lab to work on our paper. This was inconvenient because one girl didn't do her part fully, so we had to all step in and do it for her. Then the wi-fi in the building decided to stop working... so I had the burden of finishing up the assignment once I got home, which was due before midnight. I got home later than usual, rushed over for ward prayer, couldn't stay for the games, rushed back home and finished writing and editing the paper before bed. And yup, I skipped dinner... yikes. But hey! I classes are over now and the future is bright!

Thursday
I felt exhausted today, between work, basketball, and shopping. And I legit have so many disgusting bruises from basketball class this week! We've been playing pretty rough, plus I bruise easy, and so my legs looked atrocious after class today. I need to stop jumping on the ground after the ball! I also had to return some items and buy groceries, but I wasn't prepared for rain to come pouring down in the middle of my shopping adventure! I had planned to get a car wash, but didn't want to look ridiculous, so after I got home and put my groceries away, I went down into our parking garage and washed my car by hand. It is looking nice and spiffy now. That evening, Valerie planned a fun activity for Relief Society sisters to stop by and sign hearts that we can hang up for Father's Day on the guy's doors, but only one person came! She had the cutest set-up though.

Friday
I tried to get to work early today because I had to leave at 8am to go to a Y-group leader service training for New Student Orientation next weekend. I volunteered because I wanted to force myself to be more social. Luckily, I packed my own breakfast. The training was good, and I talked with a couple of people. Two guys from my basketball class were there, so I was able to chat with them for a bit! I couldn't eat the lunch they had, so I left just before noon and went home to eat. That evening, Valerie and I went to the Disney showing of Newsies in Orem. We got free tickets! I had accidentally cut my fingers while opening a can for dinner, so I had my fingers wrapped up pretty good. We randomly got texts from Bishop and his wife asking what happened to my fingers. We were so confused as to how they knew. I responded, and they replied back that they hoped we enjoyed the rest of the play. Now we were really confused. How did they know? Who told them? Well, we found out at intermission that they were there watching the play too! We had a good laugh about that.

Saturday
This morning I awoke feeling so tired and groggy. My roommates and I got ready for the ward temple trip this morning, and it was funny because Valerie and I ended up sitting next to the Osborns in the chapel, so now it is a running joke that they are stalking us! After the temple, I got to see my trainer from my mission! Vanessa Wall was in town for EFY training, so she came over when I was home and we talked for two hours before I took her to the front runner station so she could go home. We reenacted a photo that was taken from me being in training over two years ago! I spent the afternoon writing. I'm mostly just working on creative writing, like stories, and my little sister wants me to finish a book to gift her with at her next birthday...

Sunday
I awoke this morning and finished preparing my lesson for Sunday School! I was actually very excited to teach. I had many inspired ideas throughout the week, but also, I was blessed with the honor of teaching on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. After church, I was able to receive a priesthood blessing from Bishop Osborn. I had been studying my scriptures earlier this week, pondering about times when I felt close to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. On my mission, I had some sacred experiences with receiving blessings in my hard moments that kept me going, and I had been feeling lately that I needed more direction and guidance in my life, plus some reassurance and comfort. It was exactly what I needed, if maybe not what I wanted, to hear. I need to be patient and wait for the Lord's timing. But I'm humbled to have His direction and will do my best to live worthy so all the blessings I have been promised will come true.

This week I was thinking about the question, "How can I cheerfully submit my will to God?" Just like Jesus Christ did, in His greatest moment of uncertainty, said unto the Father, "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." I've always thought that either our will is aligned with God or it is not. However, Elder Neal A. Maxwell shared a more nuanced perspective, "As you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it!" Wills. Not a singular will, but many wills. We each have many, many desires and wants and wishes. Some of them we cannot currently fathom giving up. But just as everything else in the gospel is a process, turning our full will over to God happens piece by piece, small sacrifice by small sacrifice, will by will. As we continually turn over small pieces of our will to Him every day, with His help, we will one day (maybe a thousand years from now) accomplish the impossible: turning every single one of our wills over to Him. What small sacrifice can I make this week to give up one of my wills to God?

Love,
Emily Burnham

Hub Caps, Hiking, and Hymns

Howdy mi amigos! This week has blown by surprisingly fast, and I think it is because I am making an effort to stay busy with goals to work on.

Monday
Nothing too exciting went down today. Just work, homework, basketball class, and my other three-hour class. For Home Evening, we played ultimate frisbee at the park.

Tuesday
After work, I quickly got ready for the day so I could go to a two-hour test review before basketball class. After basketball class, I ate a quick lunch and then picked up my friend Whitney to go and watch the new live-action Aladdin! Overall, I really enjoyed it and had a great time. That evening, I went with Valerie to institute. I am really enjoying learning about the women in the Old Testament!

Wednesday
Again, I got ready quickly after work so I could go to my TA's office hours before basketball class. I got a great start on some homework. Later in my psychological testing class, we rushed to finish our paper that was due before midnight. When I finally got home (15 minutes later than usual), Valerie told me she had made me popcorn. What an angel! But little did I know that was only the beginning... she had two other surprises for me to find (and it took me until Thursday to realize what they were)! Then we went to ward prayer and got some popsicles!

Thursday
I finally found out what Valerie's surprise was! Dad kind of let it slip on the phone when I talked to him on my way home from an appointment with the writing lab. She bought me hub caps for my car and put them on! Also, she got a magnetic phone-holder for my car! She is such a great sister and friend!

Friday
At work this morning, we watched Mulan and ate granola and fruit. Yum! Of course I sang along to my favorite song... Let's Get Down to Business! Then I studied for a took a test, scoring a 93%. Not bad! I had the afternoon free to do laundry and relax. I really can't remember what else I did... I do know that I have been looking into buying a nicer pair of figure skates with more support for my ankles.

Saturday
Val and I went to the temple early this morning, and then we went home and got ready for a Relief Society hike. It was a bit chilly, but very beautiful! Afterwards, we went with a small group to the Seven Peaks Water Park, where I swam for the first time in three years! It felt so weird for a second, but I quickly got used to it ;). We got home late that afternoon, and I spent the rest of the time working on homework and completely small projects around the apartment. I thought about staying up late to watch a movie... but when 9:30pm rolled around, I was out like a lightbulb! My early-morning custodial job has turned me into a grandma!

Sunday
Relief society was really good. We talked about the Relief Society Declaration and shared personal experiences in small groups. I was able to feel the Spirit as I testified of Christ and other spiritual experienced I had. I love the reminder that I do not have to be a missionary testifying to have the Spirit bear witness of my words. It can happen in everyday conversations. After church, I went with a group to sing at an old-folks home and brought my violin along to play. I was pretty rusty, but I felt so happy and energized afterwards. It was such a blessing to be able to lighten the day for them!

In relief society today, I had a conversation with the girl next to me about how important it is to invite the Spirit into our lives every single day. Often times, we aren't doing anything bad that would drive the Spirit away. But just as we are counselled to seek, knock, and ask in prayer, we are also told to invite the Spirit to teach us in our scripture study and other aspects of our life. Sometimes we become distracted or caught in a rut and start going through the motions. How sad is it that we can go through our scripture study without being taught by the Spirit, simply because we didn't actively pray to invite Him to be there and to learn something. It is so important that we make these conscious decisions or else, in a way, we are letting the adversary win. I have been able to invite and feel the Spirit this past week as I sang a sacred hymn before studying my scriptures and listened to conference talks when I wasn't otherwise occupied.

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Always Happy?

Wow, what a week! I only had two days of classes, since Monday was a holiday, but it still felt like a full week for some reason.

Monday: I went with Valerie and some other girls in our ward to the Fun Center in Lehi, UT! With our passes we bought, we can get into all kinds of things for free now! I played three rounds of laser tag and went mini-golfing outside, only getting my golf ball stuck in the water once! I missed the first round of laser tag (because I had to go to the bathroom and they didn't wait for me...) so while I was waiting for them to finish, I took a peaceful walk outside and found a pond full of fish by the mini-golf!

Tuesday: One tender mercy that happened today was that I called a man who sharpens skates and set up a time to go over today... and he did it for free! I'd heard he usually $15, but he was a member and we were talking about my mission and BYU, and so he decided to do it as a service. That evening, I was a bit sad because Valerie was leaving with a group of friends to see the live-action Aladdin in theaters, but I couldn't go because it would be too late and I have work tomorrow. Instead, I went over to institute, even though I was feeling a little glum. I'm glad I went, even if it was so I could show the Lord I loved Him and was willing to be obedient and do what I promised I would do.

Wednesday: During basketball class today, I jumped up and intercepted a pass from the opposing team, but a guy jumped up behind me and accidently hit his head into mine. It really hurt, so I had to sit out the rest of the time. The guy felt so bad that he gave me his pack of fruit snacks, which was so kind of him! After class, I went to the library to meet up with Whitney, my freshman roommate, so I could give her the birthday present I made. It was a painting of the Virginia flag with her mission name in the middle. She loved it! Then I stayed on campus to finish up some homework that I had before class. Class was pretty interesting because in our lab, we ran the statistics for our project we have been working on, and I think our results worked out pretty well! After class, I rushed home and went to ward prayer to play dodge ball! I didn't get out, of course ;)

Thursday: I didn't go to my basketball class today because I needed a break (and I was still slightly bitter that my head was hurting...). But I have become a believer in taking "mental health breaks" every once in a while. When life becomes overwhelming, it is healthy to take a step back and spend some time recuperating.

Friday: Whitney texted to ask if I could go to the temple with her this evening, so I quickly got ready and we made it (just barely) to the 4:40pm session. I had a really great experience in the temple today. It felt like I was having my own private conversation with God and my mind was enlightened more about premortality. I'm grateful for the knowledge I gain each day, along with the peace and comfort Heavenly Father is so willing and eager to give me when I reach out and ask Him. Afterwards, Whitney invited me to come over and watch Nacho Libre (which I had never seen) with a bunch of her friends. It was fun! I made apple crisp and everyone else had pancakes. I also got to sit next to a pretty cute guy, so that was a bonus ;).

Saturday: I met up with some mission friends for lunch at Costa Vida, and I didn't realize how hungry I was until I ate the entire salad and didn't feel stuffed. It was a nice reminder of my mission and I'm amazed that I have so many friends now because of those special 18 months serving as the Lord's missionary. That afternoon, I went ice-skating with Valerie and Kathrine (a girl in our ward). With our special passes, we get free admission! And I have my own skates, so I get in completely free!! Though I'm not the biggest fan of my new skates because they don't have enough ankle support, so after an hour, I start tripping over my skates :(. I worked on homework until it was time for me to meet up with Whitney and her group of friends to go country swing dancing! It didn't start until 9pm, which is pretty much my bed time any other night of the week. I danced with four different guys, but for the most part, I stood on the sidelines watching everyone else dance because not a lot of people asked me to dance. But I learned a few cool tricks.

Sunday: So, fast Sunday, right? Well, we had the most amazing testimonies born during sacrament meeting, and I was willing to bear my testimony if I felt prompted, but the entire time was taken with one person after another standing up to go. Finally, the time was coming to a close, and I was just about to get up to go when another girl got up. I thought, "Well, maybe it's just not my month to go." The clock on the wall said it was 11:25, which was when the Bishop said we would conclude, but then the thought came to check my phone, and my phone said 11:22, so I took that as a prompting and started to stand up right as the girl finished. But the Bishop had also been about to stand up to end the meeting! When we saw me, he promptly sat back down, and my sister urged me to go. I got up there and said, "I know the clock says it's 25 after, but my phone said it was only 22 after, so I figured I had a minute to share a quick experience!" I told about a time when I was a missionary teaching a lady, and her fiancé was set against her joining. I wanted desperately for her to read the Book of Mormon and join the church, and so I promised her as she read and came to church, she would always be happy. She gave me a long, hard look and then said honestly and skeptically, "Always happy? Are you always happy?" The question took me aback and I thought about it for a minute... no, I wasn't always happy. And I couldn't promise that to anyone. But it was this gospel, which I so desperately wanted her to accept, that carried me through those moments of sadness and depression. I bore my testimony to her of the gospel and the Savior carrying me through my hard moments so that I could be happy eventually. Happiness may not always be found in the moment, but it can often be found looking back on the hard things we have overcome with the help of Jesus Christ. I felt so Spiritually uplifted from church today, which was exactly what I needed after these past couple of weeks. I may not feel happy every single day, but I am filled with gratitude and thanksgiving when I think of all the tender mercies God has blessed me with. I also took the opportunity to listen to some hymns while I painted, just wanting a peaceful moment with myself.

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Bean Museum and Olk Folks

Howdy friends and family! This week really flew by, which I guess is a good thing!

Monday
I really enjoy my Psychological Testing class, even though I'm exhausted by the end of it! My group is making noticeable progress on our project. We stayed after class just a bit to finalize some things, so by the time I got home, I left with my sister right away to go to Home Evening. We had a giant dinner, and Sister Osborn was kind enough to make a chili that was safe for me to eat. I was so grateful to have safe food to eat because I was so hungry since I had come straight from three hours of class!

Tuesday
Basketball class is always super fun! I think I'm getting a lot better. I've been scoring more points and have definitely noticed myself getting into more shape! After my class, I studied real quick before going to take my basketball exam at the testing center. It's pass/fail... and I failed. Just kidding, I passed! The weather was cold and rainy so I postponed going shopping until Thursday. I really enjoyed going to institute though! I went to the "Women in the Scriptures" class and felt very enlightened.

Wednesday
I worked on homework, but it was so hard to focus! Fortunately, I got everything done on time. After my three hour class, I felt so blessed because ward prayer was cancelled due to the dreary weather! I was tired and hungry, and I was able to make myself a yummy dinner instead of worrying about going to ward prayer!

Thursday
After basketball class, I went on a giant shopping spree! I needed to get new tennis shoes, so I went to Kohls and tried on at least nine pairs of shoes. No joke. I'm pretty sure people were giving me weird looks because I was carrying a giant stack of shoe boxes to try on! I also had a date this evening at the Bean Museum. I learned a lot about the animals there from the other guy we doubled with (since he works there). I am now terrified of hippos because I learned they are very vicious creatures. They are the animals that cause the most human deaths in Africa, and they can take on a crocodile! Also, they had a ridiculous amount of birds there!

Friday
Today was a very chill day. At work we watched Guardians of the Galaxies 2 and ate breakfast. Then  I got to go home and relax because Monday is a holiday, which means I don't have homework due until Wednesday! So this is the first real break I've had in a while!! I wasn't feeling very social, but I got a lot done around the house. Including scrubbing our bathroom from floor to ceiling! It took me a very long time! (Yes, I took pictures because I was super proud)

Saturday
I went to the temple this morning and had a cool experience. I love the peace and insights that come as I take the time to be still and know that God is with me. Then I had to run some errands, which took a few hours and didn't end up being as productive as I had hoped. I was so exhausted afterwards that I had to take a nap! But then my sister and I painted (just for fun) for a bit. That evening, we went to our stake activity. They had food and games at the park, and luckily it stopped raining soon after the food arrived so that we could play some fun games.

Sunday
I listened to Elder Holland's talk about the Lamb of God and the sacrament before church, so I made sure to arrive at church 10 minutes early and really think about my Savior. I felt so much love for God today during sacrament meeting. Going to church isn't always about learning from what a speaker says, but it is about renewing your personal and intimate covenants with God. Today I truly felt that. After church, I went with a group to sing to some elderly women at a senior home, and I was overwhelmed with how much Heavenly Father loved them and was aware of them. I could feel their spirit and testimony of Christ, and knew they were close to the veil. Then I went to reconnect and worked a tiny bit on family history. I think I'm slowly getting better, but it's questionable!

I love that the gospel of Jesus Christ truly is simple. The great motivation of the plan of salvation, of Jesus Christ's Atonement, is love. Everything we do can be split into two categories: things we do because we love God, and things we do because we love others. Sometimes we forget why we are doing some things and need to remember that it is out of love—if not for the person we are interacting with, then at least because we love our Savior and are trying to be more like Him. And if some things we are doing do not fit into these two categories, perhaps we should drop those things out of our life.

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Escaping the Escape Room

Howdy y'all!

Monday
I rushed to finish all the assignments I had due before meeting up with my group. I've been a bit frustrated because often times I feel like I am doing the most work for the project and other members slide by without having to do much. I'd just prefer to work alone in that case. But I am trying to have a positive attitude about my group and am encouraging every contribution they make! After class, I rushed home so I could go to Home Evening, which was an ice-cream social. We actually made homemade ice-cream, so I was able to make some with almond milk!

Tuesday
I only have one class today, so I thought I would have a pretty relaxed day. But no, I had a lot of homework to do. I spent at least three and a half hours working on an essay that is due tomorrow night. That evening, I attended institute with Valerie and some other friends in our ward. We went to the church history class, but I think want to try out a different class next week because I've already read the book the class is based on, Saints. Which, if any of y'all haven't read that yet, I would highly encourage you to! The more you know about someone, or in this case, Joseph Smith, the stronger your testimony of them will become.

Wednesday
I didn't have time to make food yesterday like I had hoped, but God blessed me because even though I had a lot to do today, I was able to accomplish all of it! I made some (surprisingly delicious) broccoli potato soup that would last me for a few days. I also had lots of readings to do and quizzes to take before class started at 4pm, and then after class, I went straight home, ate a quick dinner, then went to ward prayer. We played some fun get-to-know-you games, and then I went home and got ready for bed. It's been hard going to bed so I can get enough sleep, but I'm still alive and functioning somehow!

Thursday
I absolutely love my basketball class! It's so fun to play with everyone, and I'm getting better at scoring more in the games. After my basketball class, I had a job interview to be a counselor at a Mission Ready summer camp. I spent the afternoon studying for my test tomorrow!

Friday
We got to finish early at work so we could watch a movie (on the clock)! That is one reason I love Fridays! Also because I don't have any classes. Unfortunately, the movie we watched was very scary, and also, I had to study for and take a test. But it went well! I received an A. Then I got to meet up with my friend Whitney to eat fries at The Wall. Fortunately I got there early because I didn't know they were closing early, so I was able to order both of us fries to go, since she wasn't there yet. That night, I went on the ward temple trip, and we were there for three hours because it was so crowded! I was glad I went because only three other people went. When I got home, I went straight to bed.

Saturday
Today was super fun, even though my stomach hurt all day. I think the fries I ate yesterday were contaminated with gluten. I left just before 9:30am to pick up my friend Whitney, and we went to the temple together. We did two sessions back to back, and it was a really cool experience. The longer I was in the temple, the more time seemed to slow down (as in I felt completely at peace, not rushed or in a hurry), yet speed up (the session went by a lot smoother and faster, probably because I wasn't worrying about time, so it passed without my notice). I didn't have any big revelatory or miraculous experience, but I felt filled with the sweet Spirit and rejuvenated. Afterwards, I went home and attempted to do some homework, but the pain in my stomach got worse, so I just lied down for a while up until Val and I had to go. She planned a fun evening since we don't get to see each other much during the week. She had 2 free admissions to go to an escape room, and we were both super excited because we had never been before. It was really fun, even though I may have gotten in trouble towards the end for picking a lock to get a key that would open a chest with the last object we needed to complete the mission (a crown). I just thought I was being resourceful, and was honestly just surprised with myself for guessing the correct passcode. Fortunately, the other people in our group solved the puzzle to get the code to unlock it, so we were still able to finish the non-cheating way, with 5 seconds to spare! It was really cool to finish, because we were told only 30% of people actually make it through and can escape! Afterwards, Valerie took me out to dinner at a Thai place, and I have realized that I absolutely love Thai and Indian food!

Sunday
I taught Sunday School for the first time since getting my new calling! I wasn't very nervous, surprisingly. I just prayed all week long that the Spirit would touch the hearts of those in the class, help me know their needs, and give me the words to say. It wasn't a perfect lesson, but I loved how much people participated. I got to learn from them and just facilitate the comments. After church at Reconnect, I continued trying to work on my family history. I didn't accomplish much, but I am making slow progress! In the evening, Valerie invited over some girls for dinner, and I made up my own dinner and ate with them. It was great to get to know them better and have great conversations.

I had a cool insight when talking with my sister Valerie. We were discussing how people are quick to judge others for their weaknesses. The world is quick to pick apart the Prophet Joseph Smith because of his mistakes. They pick apart the rich young ruler for not giving up all that he had. But if all you knew about Peter was that he denied Christ three times and at one point Christ literally called him Satan ("get thee behind me, Satan"), you would think this Peter guy must have been pretty bad. But no! He was a faithful and dedicated apostle. Because of the natural man, we are all prone to make mistakes. We should expect that, and not fall into a judgmental and criticizing attitude. Rather, we should seek out the good in others--like the fact that the rich young ruler came running to the Savior and fell down at his feet--and be amazed at the effort it took them to put off their natural man. Focus on the good in others, focus on the good in yourself, and you will be a much happier person!

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Glamorous Camping

Hey friends and family!

This week has gone so much smoother after dropping my physical science class! Throughout the week, there would be random times where I felt so happy for no particular reason. Probably because I had more time to accomplish things and didn't feel so rushed and stressed. Heavenly Father is so good to me.

Monday
I'm getting a bit more used to waking up early every morning to get to work by 5am, and I really am enjoying my basketball class. I have noticed I am getting in more shape by the fact that I walk less up and down the court during games! I can actually jog and run the entire game now :) For Home Evening, we met at our new Bishop's home with the counsellors. We asked different questions to get to know them and heard some pretty crazy stories!

Tuesday
After work and basketball class, I headed over to participate in a research study for extra credit in my psychology class. Then I had to go get a new ID card because apparently the university updated everyone's card last year and put chips in them to get into buildings when they're locked. That was why my card wasn't working to open the door these past two weeks! I didn't know I needed a new one because it had worked for everything else on campus! Also, I went shopping and may have spent all of my grocery money for the week on a pair of basketball shoes for my class!

Wednesday
Work, basketball, homework, and Psychological Testing. That pretty much sums up my day! Also, it's so weird that we have ward prayer on Wednesdays at 7pm. It's kind of hard because my class ends at 6:40pm and then I have to rush home, eat something quick for dinner (if I'm lucky), then head off to ward prayer. Sometimes I leave early from ward prayer (can't eat the treats anyway) so that I can go home and have a real dinner or just have more time to prepare for bed by 8:20pm. But the ward is great, and I really like all the new people in the ward!

Thursday
I had a slight accident during my basketball class. A guy passed the ball to me harder than I was expecting, and somehow my finger nail on my right hand dug into a finger on my left hand, leaving a small gash. So I went to get a band-aid and thought, "This is nothing." Only, it wouldn't stop bleeding! It bled through two band-aids, so on the third one, my teacher also wrapped it with tape. It had bled through when I went home, so I rewrapped it and it was still bleeding that night! The next morning, I ended up just super-gluing it to get it to stop...

Friday
Work is so fun on Fridays because we hurry and finish our jobs in 1.5 hours and then get together and eat breakfast while watching a movie. This time we had cereal with almond milk, sausage, bacon, and fruit. All things I could eat! They are super considerate of my food allergies at work, which is so great. Today also marks 2 years since I left for the MTC to be a missionary for 18 months! Ironically, I unexpectedly ended up at the SLC airport, which is where I flew in from 2 years ago. My roommate Hannah asked me if I could drop her off at the airport because she last-minute decided to fly home for the weekend. I agreed but had a slightly negative attitude because I had a lot to do today since the overnight camping trip started this evening, but then I had the impression that as I served her, I was only serving Christ. And I would be so humbled and honored to drive Christ to the airport and get to spend time with Him. I felt the Spirit confirm that thought and my negative attitude instantly vanished. Afterwards, I got home and ate lunch around 1pm. That was when my sister called me and asked a favor. She was wondering if I could bake up the cookie dough batter she had made for the camping trip tonight because she wouldn't be home from work in time. I tiredly agreed and spent the next two hours making batch after batch of cookies. There were enough cookies to feed over 120 people! That evening, we left for Spring Haven, a million dollar cabin where we would be spending the night. The trip was called "glamping," as in "glamorous camping," though the name sounds anything but glamorous! There were over 100 other people who came from four different wards. They had so many fun activities for us to do! They had an inside volleyball/basketball court; a treehouse with foosball, pool, and air hockey; karaoke; a murder mystery; dancing; and tons of other games. Swing dancing in the gym was actually a lot of fun because this one guy took pity upon me and came over to be my partner, and he actually knew what he was doing, so before I knew it, I was being flipped! It was crazy, but super cool! We had dinner and stayed up soooo late! I was extremely tired, since we didn't get to bed until around 1am.

Saturday
Val and I got up around 7:30am and packed up, ready to go. Then we got some breakfast: bacon, sausage, hash browns, and fruit for me. Egg burritos for everyone else! We drove home, and I got ready and went to the temple. I thought I was fine, but during the session when the lights dimmed, I had the hardest time staying awake! Yikes. Fortunately, I was able to stay awake during all of it! But it was a real struggle. When I got home, I didn't have time to nap. I had to eat lunch, and I was able to do a bit of homework before I had to leave at 3pm to go to work. I went to help cleanup after the baseball game, but it didn't get over until just after 5pm, so I got paid to take a nap while waiting for it to be over :). That was a blessing! Plus we got free J-dawgs afterwards! Double blessed! When I got home around 7pm, I continued to work on homework, but I had to take a 15 minute nap around 9pm so I could stay focused and finish my reading. Then I finally got to go to bed around 10pm and get a full night's rest!!!

Sunday
Happy Mother's Day! I got to sleep in until 7:30am, which was a huge blessing. I really needed all the rest I could get. And I probably would have slept in a bit longer, but my little sister called because she was so excited to give Mom her card (which she spent 2.5 hours making) and gift and wanted Val and me to watch Mom open it. It was great to get to talk to my mom before going to church. After church, I decided to serve my roommate. While driving her to the airport, she said how excited she was to go home, but that Monday would be stressful for her because she had a quiz and an exam she had to take. Well, she had left her sheets in the dryer, so I made her bed and cleaned her room up a bit so that would be one less thing for her to worry about when she comes home on Monday. Val and I went to reconnect at our bishop's house, and I attempted to feel competent and useful as I searched for ancestors on Family Search.

Another tender mercy that happened this week was when I was in the temple, the Lord reminded me that I cannot fail if I am serving Him. That one day, regardless of my grades or other mundane things in my life that I stress over, I will be an exalted being. I will be living with Heavenly Father and my family for eternity, and God will help me succeed in the little things. This eternal perspective has been such a blessing to help me not worry over my grades as much and to trust that God has my back. If I try my hardest, I will do just well enough to get into whatever programs He wants to place me in to be an influence of good to others!

Much love,
Emily Burnham