First thing that happened during my absence was my brother's birthday! Collin had his 22nd Birthday on his mission in Houston, Texas which keeps his birthday tradition alive. I don't think he has had his birthday at home in over 7 years? Our family likes to travel for Thanksgiving and the past 3 years he has been at college or on his mission. We'll see if he can keep the streak going! Here is what he said in his weekly email home about his birthday...
"My Birthday was wonderful. We started celebrating on Friday, since that was when we were together in the chapel for District Meeting. Afterwards, the Hermanas ran and told me that someone needed my help in fixing a bicycle in the kitchen, but it was a birthday surprise. The English Elders where waiting there and sang to me and we ate "Apple Pie Cake." Which was really good. On the actual birthday, I had dinner with the Hernandez Garcia family and we watched The Prophet of the Restoration with them. They had been dying to see it for months, when they first heard about it. They loved it.
I loved all the presents! Especially the CD's! I've been listening to them whenever we're at home. I love all of them, I can't decide on a favorite. I have been saving the Christmas one for after Thanksgiving though. I had a really fun time with the trick candles. I gave two of them to the Hernandez Garcia kids, because they were absolutely amazed by their magical properties."
I love getting his emails because he just sounds so happy being on his mission! I know my mission is coming soon and I'm also so excited to go share the thing that I love most!
The next thing that happened was THE BLIZZARD OF THE DECADE! The news said it was imminent death, we were going to be buried in snow and emergency crews would find our frozen corpses later and we could only pray for a chance of survival.
They even closed the Cannon Center early so that the employees could get home safely...and then it came!!!
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Andre and I called it, they were freaking out about nothing. This is the picture I took expecting to see snow above our windows. Oh mass media...
Next thing that happened that week was Thanksgiving! Sammi and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with her two roommates Jessica and Meghan. Unfortunately we all forgot to take pictures the whole day :P I'm sure Sammi's Mom isn't too happy about that...
It was pretty lonesome Thanksgiving Break here at BYU. I did talk to my family but it was just very quiet in the dorms.
Pretty much a ghost town.
Here are some picture that I took of the scenery though :)
Eventually another storm did come and bring some snow Sunday. It was pretty fun because instead of a floor meeting we had a floor snowball fight.
This week has been crazy and super busy so not much really has happened. I've just been doing my work, doing what I gotta do. I'm really excited to come home for Christmas and see everyone, but also I'm really looking forward to a break from college!
One thought that I had on my mind recently is something my Book of Mormon teacher said. He said, "You can never have enough of what you don't need." I think this is truly a profound statement that he just said casually, and didn't even realize how much it impacted me. Here at college and especially during the holidays you learn what truly is important and what makes you happy. In America we have so much and are spoiled compared to the rest of the world who have barely anything. Yet, though we have so much, we are not truly happy. An easy, lazy life full of expensive toys isn't happiness, that's pleasure. True happiness comes from family, friends, accomplishments, and trials. Thats what I'm thankful for this time of year and I home I can keep this perspective throughout the year.
