Daughters In My Kingdom

Today marks my first Relief Society broadcast.  I've been a little reluctant to go to relief society.  I just feel like its not where I'm supposed to be yet.  So, while getting ready to walk up to the I-Center today, I was thinking about how I did NOT want to go.  I'm fresh out of YW, so I still think anything that is going to be said is completely unrelated to me and my life right now.  Of course, the first talk, given by the Relief Society General President, was titled "Daughters In My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society."  It was all about the purpose of Relief Society and what Heavenly Father has in mind for this organization.  She explained how special it is and how Heavenly Father needed faithful women to help run the church.  She also talked about all the contributions they have given since the start and how much they mean to the church.  That talk was so much more personal since Sister Beck talked about all the things she wanted her granddaughters to know about what she does in her calling in the church and how amazing she finds Relief Society.  Now, I feel like it's something to look forward to and that it actually is something that Heavenly Father has set up for so many reasons.  And what meeting is complete without President Uchtdorf?!  I don't know how right it is to say this but he is just the coolest!  And his talks are my FAVORITE!  In case you missed it....

https://lds.org/study/prophets-speak-today/unto-all-the-world/president-uchtdorf-reminds-sisters-of-five-things-to-forget-not?lang=eng

Week 1

I have never actually like school till now.  Its been just ok before.  Now I like to go.  I love being able to start class with and opening song and prayer.  I feel like I learn a lot better because of it.  I can't say that I love Chemistry, but I do like going to class.  All  my teachers are amazing and I got super lucky. :)  AND, I've read my scriptures every night without having to be reminded to "Read your scriptures and say your prayers."  I'm so happy here and its very exciting.  Being at a BYU, dating and marriage is obviously the first thing on everyone's mind.  While my roommates and I were sitting and studying in the MC, an RM came up to one of my roommates and told her that he "couldn't help but notice her beautiful face."  After he left she said, "Welcome to BYU-Idaho, Kacy." They now have a date set for next weekend. :)  On Friday night, the Marsdens were in Rexburg, so they took Blake and I to Fat Cats where we bowled and played mini golf and ate pizza.  I'm a good bowler. :)  I had a great first week and I can't wait for the rest of the semester.  So far, so good.

BYU-I 63rd Ward

My first Sunday here (September 11) was AMAZING!  I LOVE my new ward and I had such a great experience for my first week.  I already started making connections with people I had known a long time ago and the bishopric is awesome.  They are so hilarious and gave great testimonies the first week.  Our ward meets in the Taylor.  I walked in having no expectations of anything special, and then we sang the opening song.  How appropriate was it that the opening hymn was Where Can I Turn For Peace and the closing hymn was I Need Thee Every Hour!?  Those were the two songs us graduated laurels sang a medley of in Sacrament Meeting the week before we all left for school.  I was so grateful that we sang those songs because I felt so comforted knowing I was in a place where the Spirit could be and I was reminded that I'm being taught the same things at church as my friends and family around the world.  I'm discovering that the church is true everywhere you go and the teachings never change.  I am so thankful I belong to something so constant and steadfast.  It feels so good.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqHraht2zMM

So, today I actually just got home from church, and today was just as good.  I ran into McKay Hatch who gave a fireside in our stake about three years ago and was very memorable for his "No-Cussing Club."  About two weeks after that, Pearl and I saw him at Mormon Prom and took a picture with him.  While I was sitting in Sunday School today, I noticed he was sitting in the front row and afterwards I told him that, not to be creepy, there was a picture of him, me, and Pearl on my Facebook.  He will now be tagged in it.  Oh the connections...

http://www.nocussing.com/

I-Night

This morning Mitch gave us a tour of the campus and helped us find where all of our classes are.  I still think I'll be lost on Monday. But I can't wait! :)

I got a special surprise today! Kirby was on campus as a part of I-Night tonight and he decided that before he needed to be there, he was going to be really nice and take Troy, Blake, and I to dinner. And it was so good! The last thing I ever expected to see while waiting for him to pick Blake and I up by my apartment was Kirby Heyborne pulling up in a yellow Camaro that the school rented for him asking if we wanted some candy.  That was something new.  It was great and his show was awesome. Thanks for dinner, Kirby....

Move-In Day

Today Mom, Dad, Grandma, Annie, Allie, London, and Jill helped me move in.  I LOVE my room and roommates!  So far three of us are here but the two I've met in person are great!  It was a loooooong day today. We started out by moving in and making everything look all pretty. :) Then we went to get my I-Card and get some stuff from the bookstore.  It was quite crowded.  Then we picked up Blake and went to lunch and Wingers.  After that, we came back to my apartment and did more stuff in my room and then Blake and I left to meet our I-Team and listen to Vice President Henry J. Eyring speak.  We left to do some "get-to-know-you"s with our I-Team while our parents stayed and listened to President Eyring some more. After that was WAL-MART. I will never go into Wal-Mart again this close to school starting! There wasn't enough room for one body to walk around! Later we met with out I-Team again and danced, played games, and ate ice cream. It was a lot of fun and extremely tiring. And I need to be up at 7:45 tomorrow. Goodnight....

Life is a Highway

With the exception of Calli's stuff, my room is empty.  Everything is packed, boxed up, or thrown away.  But that's only because I'm leaving for school!  And I couldn't feel better about it.  On December 7, 2010, I received my acceptance letter to Brigham Young University - Idaho.  I was so happy! :) And I haven't been able to stop being giddy about it.  Tomorrow night, I'll start my journey to Idaho with Mom and Dad, 3 suitcases (most of which are stuffed with jackets and jeans), a carryon, a backpack, a basket of shoes, a camera, and ONE cookbook.  Mostly because, I won't be making much. :)

I've discovered recently how much good can come out of Facebook.  I love that I've been able to reconnect with my old EFY friends that I'm going to be spending the semester with.  I love that I've been able to meet my roommates before I get to school.  I love that I've been able to already feel like this school is where I'm supposed to be.  Right now, I'm talking to a Bro. Sanders's niece via FB, who I've never met before, but seems great! I'm so excited to get to know all these awesome people. :)

My last three weeks of church in my home ward were tear-jerkers.  All the graduated laurels bore their testimonies in YW a couple weeks ago.  That was hard.  We've been in the same ward and primary classes since who knows when.  And now everyone is going all different directions.  Well, actually I'm the only one going to Idaho.  The rest are either at BYU in Provo or staying home.  Either way, it's a very strange feeling.  Since BYU started about a week ago, I've been one of the only ones left at home waiting for BYU-I to start.  So the last two weeks have been flooded with people coming up and saying goodbye, asking for my Skype username, and giving hugs. Crazyness. Not to mention my mom bore her testimony in Sacrament Meeting yesterday on this huge milestone. :)

I seriously cannot wait. This is something I've been waiting for since I visited Annie at school when I was 10 and absolutely fell in love with BYU-I.