Catch-Up

These past few months have been amazing. Here's what I've been up to summarized in whatever pictures I could find. 

JANUARY

This lady came back into my life!!!

We went to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City. My goal for the night was to find Mindy Kaling, but I failed! We still had a fun time just walking around. 

We went to the coolest restaurant. My pal Evan showed it to me one time we went up to Park City in December. I have no idea what the name of it is, but I can find it! The chef here makes the best salsa verde.

Mel and I had the incredible blessing to attend her nephew-in-law's baptism. It was such a great day filled with the Spirit, we had to seize the selfie opp!

FEBRUARY

Cristel turned 22! We celebrated at Happy Sumo with the crew. Always a party. 

UMMMMM I REGISTERED FOR THE MCAT. WHAT.

That one time I got this gorgeous bangle from Rocksbox and was completely obsessed with it. I almost bought it... but then thought $40 would be better spent elsewhere. 

Valentine's Day dance with the best dancer around. I miss this pal now that he's on an internship in China!!

Valentine's Day! I bought this sweet top from Francesca's and loved it! Until I washed it and it shrunk to baby size. But, oh, Valentine's Day. So many fun activities....So many memories. 

I tried SushiBurrito for the first time. WOW. DELICIOUS EXPLOSION IN MY MOUTH. 

MARCH

This fantastic guy offered me a 5th row seat to the Jazz game. Pretty much made me feel like a celebrity, so I had to Snapchat our selfie. Mike's quickly become one of my favorite friends, and for more than just the sweet tickets of that time. We understand each other. Most of the time. Haha. 

I left for Guatemala! And we took a trip to El Salvador with the fam bam. Here we are at the San Salvador Temple. Gorgeous. 

We had an awesome ride to the beach and fantastic beach time.

My internship gave me the opportunity to see some sweet surgeries. I'M SO EXCITED TO BE A DOCTOR. That's all. The doctors were the nicest, and I loved how all the nursing staff called me "Dr. Coronado." It fit perfectly and I can't wait to be called that for real. Here are some of the less gory pictures I got to take! I promise this is not a HIPAA violation. 

Finally, we visited Antigua and had a sweet family reunion. I'm so grateful for all these amazing people in my life. Can't wait to start the NGO and see the progress of everything. 

APRIL

Coming back to Provo was kind of a bummer after all the awesome Guatemala adventuring. This month I studied like crazy for the MCAT, which I take on May 22nd! I'm more than freaking out. But, I'm trying to replace that fear with faith. I've still had time for some fun, including our dancing nights, and fun hangouts with friends. 

Because we laugh more than talk. :)

It's been a few awesome and adventure-packed months. I'm down to the grind with the MCAT, but i'm glad after that after it's done I can concentrate on my med school application and summer. Prayers are appreciated on my behalf as I prepare for my test on the 22nd! 

<3, Christel. 

Remembering Lot's Wife

There's always something exciting about the word "new." 

The word makes me think of so many things, but, given the time of year, it makes me think of a whole year of unwritten experiences. 

My family's always pretty good about encouraging us all to write down new goals, and we spent plenty of time talking about resolutions over the last week. Today, however, I ran across something that encapsulated all my thoughts about a new year. 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: Remember Lot's Wife

I can't say anything better than Elder Holland, so please, read his words. 

Also, under that same theme, this hilarious video: 

NYC remembers Lot's wife

My favorite part about Elder Holland's talk comes at the end, where he says, 

"Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the 'high priest of good things to come.' 

Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away.

Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever."

So for my goals this year, I plan on taking Elder Holland's counsel. I'm gonna keep my eyes on my dreams, because like he said, the future holds everything. 

2015, I'm ready for ya. 

<3, Christel. 

Struggles, Confessions, Realizations, and Truths

Dear Reader,

I think I'm writing this post because I believe it's time I acknowledge things to myself. In light of recent events, I'm sorry if this post seems a little uncontrolled. But I've prayed for strength and I know that it started to come from that moment that I felt like I fell down because I could not keep myself together.

This all started when I realized that I've gotten real good at doing/saying what other people expect. Thank you Bret Mortimer and Maddie Beeton for your thoughts and your words in your blogs. You are truly yourselves and I'm so thankful for you. I think I've read and reread your posts like ten times now and I would like you both to know that your words have made a difference in my life and my journey.

Today, I join your voices: I hope that this post does not inspire angry feelings; I am writing in the hopes that my situation and my realizations will one day help someone who finds him/herself in a similar place. Even if it is myself, again.

MY STRUGGLE AND CONFESSION.

In the last few months, I made myself believe that only my successes made me valuable, and I refused to do anything but succeed. I covered, repressed, and/or ignored any hint of failure or weakness I sensed not only in myself but also in a person I came to care so much about.

REALIZATION.

My mind was a world in which I did not fully acknowledge my Savior; a place where I shared the power to not only save myself, but this other person as well.

I believed that I could solve problems by myself, including those that weren't my own, by simply believing that I could.

I thought I could do everything: live my dreams, fulfill my desires, and be myself in a situation that I knew from the beginning wasn't mine to try to solve.

This realization does not mean that I regret a single moment of the last 10 months. That time has led me to the last couple of days, in which I believe I've grown and I will continue to grow if I rely on the only person who CAN save.

TRUTH.

I now understand that my experiences up to this point are meant to remind me to be humble. That His plan for me is better than my plan for myself. That I cannot make choices for someone, and that all things can be understood in their proper time.

I also understand that the Lord gives all of us weaknesses so that we can become stronger (Ether 12:27). Weaknesses remind us that Christ is our Savior. 

For a moment, I thought that my hopes and dreams for my future took a sharp turn into an unknown direction. But is that direction really unknown? It really isn't. I have not been alone for a single moment (Footprints in the Sand). My plans have not felt like they were wrong. My attitude was wrong, and that's what needed a change. Knowing all of this has made the world of difference. The ice cold feeling I had on Sunday has slowly been reborn into the warmest, kindest of fires. And he played the largest part in helping me understand that. 

I'm grateful that General Conference is this weekend. I'm grateful for prayer and for revelation from modern day prophets (See this: Where is the Pavilion? and this: Pres. Uchtdorf's talk at Women's Conf). I'm grateful for my patriarcal blessing because it reminds me of my purpose in this life. I am grateful for a brother who did not hesitate to say yes when I asked for a Priesthood blessing. I'm grateful for my sister for listening to everything and for understanding. I'm grateful for him for encouraging me to go in the right direction. And for having played such a loving part in my life. I'm grateful for that random stranger that cheered up my night by simply talking about his life. I'm grateful for a new roommate that's been so kind to me. I'm grateful to have family visiting this weekend; I know we're gonna have so much fun and I'm so excited gahhhhhh!! I'm grateful to all of you who have already called and texted me, and invited me into your apartments and homes and even workplaces and offered cookies and pumpkin bread, and Chipotle, and Insanity, and possible Katy Perry tickets, and most of all, offered your time (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! :)). I'm so thankful for my family because I know they see my potential and encourage me (sometimes through the most unexpected of ways) to fulfill it. I'm grateful for the following conversation: 

Me: You know what Taylor Swift says, Shake it Off.

Brendan: You know what Enrique Iglesias says, Bailamos. 

But most of all, I am grateful for a Savior who is aware of me. Because He is the only One who understands me completely. He understands that my feelings have been a roller coaster of sad-happy-hopeful-liberated-confused-determined-lonely-grateful-idontevenknowwhatelse and that He still loves me. He is the only One who is forgiving enough and who is not afraid of my failures and my problems and has the unique ability to say, "Yes, I know what you're going through. It's hard for you. Lean on me, and try again."

Borrowing this from Maddie's blog. Such true words.

Thanks for taking the time to read my crazy ramblings. Prayers are appreciated :).

PS. The following are links to the afore mentioned blogs. Maddie and Bret, you are both golden. 

Maddie's Blog: With All Our Hearts

Bret's Blog: Golden State Style

<3, Christel.

Facts of STEM Majors

As my four-year undergraduate degree comes to a close, I decided to write down the things that I came to realize throughout my journey. Perhaps these are only applicable to science majors at BYU, or maybe just to me because I'm weird, but these realizations helped me to laugh and to learn. 

Being a STEM major is HARD. Often, we get discouraged and think that we're paying so much money, and that we're going to be so in debt that we won't be able to make a true difference in the world, or that that same difference will take at least another 20 years to achieve. However, I find what Pres. Uchtdorf said in a recent conference to be true; we shouldn't wait until future events to be happy. Life is all about finding joy in the journey.

So these are the things that I found to be true or that I thought about for the last four years:

As a STEM, specifically Science, major:

1. You will start making organic molecules out of every shape around you.

I cannot tell you how many times I saw stuff on the sidewalk. 

These two blocks of cement sideways make 2,2,4,4-tetramethylpentane. Try saying that five times fast. 

Oh, just some cyclohexane rings, nbd.

2. You will scoff if a non-STEM major brags about their 4.0.

I know you might think that your Foundations of Sewing class is hard because it's challenging, but try taking organic chem, organic chem lab, physics, physics lab, anatomy, anatomy lab, and a stupid generals class and getting a 4.0.... better yet, try it at an actually hard university (Your 4.0 might as well be a 3.2, I've seen your pictures of assignments that you think are hard. THEY ARE NOT HARD. Suck it up, people!).

3. You will lose a few self-esteem points. You need to find an outlet to gain them back or you will get depressed haha. 

I have never felt more incompetent than in a college science class. No matter how many hours of non-cramming study I put in, sometimes I still did bad on the tests! Like, WHAT THE HECK!?!? But, remember, learning is all about understanding your mistakes and making the necessary changes to get better. Don't believe me?? Go read Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code. It is also important to take breaks here and there. For me, being part of the Salsa Club presidency really helped out. Not only did I get to teach dancing, which I love, but I also helped to make the Salsa Club the largest club on campus and thus, I made a lot of friends, added something interesting to my resume, and de-stressed between study periods. 

4. You will understand that the College Triangle is REAL. 

Behold, the College Triangle:

Good grades + social life = NO SLEEP

Good grades + enough sleep = NO FRIENDS

Enough sleep + social life = BAD GRADES

It is so hard to balance it all. They key to getting around the college triangle is to know when you can do what. There are times where you can party and sleep and study; just make sure you know what your priorities are. If you have a midterm around the corner, it's ok to not go party. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF PARTIES. 

5. You will learn not to worry over a test until after you know the class average.

Sometimes you walk out of the testing center feeling bummed cuz you got a 75% so you call your mom and cry and then eat a ton of ice cream or other junk food or treat yourself to a shopping spree to make you like you're not that much of a failure. And then, later you learn that the class average was 62%. Except for that annoying nerd that got 97% and threw off the whole curve, you did good!! Just work with your Professor or TA to understand the problems you got wrong. And if you are the annoying nerd, then all the more power to ya. Nerds, unite!

6. You will need to understand that you can't discriminate against people that are non-STEM majors or girls that aren't in school because they're married. 

Being an LDS girl during your 20s is sometimes hard because you don't know what to do with your life. You understand that being a wife and mom would be the most fantastic thing that could happen to you, but you are ambitious and want a career. You get super hyped up because you can make a true change in the world (LIKE CURE CANCER!) with your education, so you look down on girls that are married or that choose to get married over "making something of themselves." You shouldn't do that. 

Julia Styles in Mona Lisa Smile said it perfectly (she's Joan):

Joan Brandwyn: Do you think I'll wake up one morning and regret not being a lawyer?

Katherine Watson: Yes, I'm afraid that you will.

Joan Brandwyn: Not as much as I'd regret not having a family, not being there to raise them. I know exactly what I'm doing and it doesn't make me any less smart. This must seem terrible to you.

Katherine Watson: I didn't say that.

Joan Brandwyn: Sure you did. You always do. You stand in class and tell us to look beyond the image, but you don't. To you a housewife is someone who sold her soul for a center hall colonial. She has no depth, no intellect, no interests. You're the one who said I could do anything I wanted. This is what I want.

Yes, organic chemistry is, in theory, harder than sewing. In theory, calculus does require a lot more brain power than understanding the psychological and political reasonings behind history. But can you say calculus requires more brain power than teaching and dealing with three screaming kids?? Education is very important. How can you raise future generations if you're not educated? Educated wives and mothers, and husbands and fathers are the people that really make a difference. 

Overall, just strive to do your best and you'll be blessed. Trust that the Lord has a plan for you, no matter what stage of life you are in. Whether you are still struggling with the day-to-day challenges of high school or college, or whether you are married and struggling with the challenges of marriage, life is a challenge in and of itself. In this challenge, learn to find joy in the little things, and always laugh and smile. Things are not always as bad as you think they are and they will always be better if you find a lesson to learn from your situation.

Just in case you're reading this and need a pick-me-up, watch this: 

 

And that is all. 

The Pony Problem

So, a few days ago I found a list of books online. I think it was a list that was geared toward my generation of readers because it was all about what books to read now depending on what you liked as a kid.

Here's the link, just in case you're looking to find the equivalent of an adult Harry Potter (although I think that's impossible; nothing will ever be quite as magical as HP):

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/books-to-read-based-on-your-childhood-favorites

I came across the Ramona Quimby book, and although I never actually read it, the cover on the list seemed quirky and cute. Naturally, I went to the BYU library's website to see if its adult counterpart, I was told there'd be cake by Sloane Crosley was available to check out. From reading a couple of its reviews I decided it'd be my next book to tackle.

Now, you gotta understand that this is a big deal because I haven't read anything since Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath came out, and I only read that because come on, it's Malcolm Gladwell and he's brilliant. If you're reading this and you don't know who Malcolm Gladwell is, then please, go to iBooks or your Kindle or something... and buy Outliers. Though I'm sure if you don't know who Malcolm Gladwell is then you've been hiding under a rock because he's even been mentioned on New Girl. It's all about that 10,000 hr. rule.

Well today, I finally checked out I was told there'd be cake, and the first chapter alone made me take immediate action. The title for this first chapter was The Pony Problem. In it, Sloane tells about how, like any other New Yorker, she's imagined what her loved ones would think if they had to clean out her apartment in case of her sudden death. (I thought this was weird, but I guess after 9/11 it makes sense.)

She says that the one thing she'd be most embarrassed by would be her toy pony collection that she keeps under her kitchen drawer. She admits she doesn't even like ponies, but whenever a sig. oth. told her he had good news, she'd ask if he'd gotten her a pony. Well, over the years, the sig. oths. reluctantly got her ponies to stop her from asking if the good things they got for her were ponies.

She realizes that she's never been able to throw out the many ponies because they all remind her of a piece or part of her life that all these past boyfriends took part in. After thinking it through, she decides to put all the ponies in a bag and leave the bag on the floor of Brooklyn-bound subway. I'm posting her last paragraph because I can't say it more perfectly than she does:

"In any case, the ponies are gone. They are on their way to a borough where eventually they will hit the end of the line and cycle back into the heart of the city. Unless the bomb squad finds them first. They are finally out of my sight and not even an 8.5 on the Nostalgia Richter Scale can summon them back. I created them and now I have uncreated them and there is nothing I can do about it. Except maybe continue to look both ways before crossing the street and avoid areas with a high saturation of random violence. I breathe a sigh of resolute relief. From now on I will make a conscious effort to remember--should I find myself face-to-face or pipe-to-skull with the end of my life--that the real proof that I have tried to love and that people have tried to love me back was never going to fit in a kitchen drawer."

Well I realized that over the years, I have kept my own version of ponies. My version of ponies is more than just one collection of objects. I hold on to things. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm a hoarder haha. But I hold on to little things that people have given me over the years to remind myself that people have loved me.

When I realized the gist of what Sloane was saying, I immediately got my phone out. I have never deleted a text. I had texts in my phone from way back in 2010. So I started to delete. Texts from past roommates, friends and ex-boyfriends all got deleted into oblivion. My self-esteem should not rely on the past or on the people that have made up my past. The texts can't reassure me that I am loved or popular or whatever because they came to me in the past. My self-esteem should not come from past experiences.

 I can build my self-esteem from the present. I know that I am a daughter of God. I know that I have a family that loves me. I know that as long as I walk in the paths of righteousness I will be guided.
Of course, those people that have texted me made up a part of my life. I will be forever grateful for them, because no matter if I am still friends with those people or not, and no matter how small of a period they were in my life for, they have all taught me something and shared something with me. It doesn't matter if the text was information on a homework assignment or a reminder to go to FHE or even the promise that they missed or loved me; all those past texts are not my present. By letting go of old things, we can make room for new hopes and experiences. Our pasts can haunt us, but we must learn to be forgiving of ourselves.

As my dad said in his last note to me,

"The future awaits you with arms wide open." (And I will hold on to this note!)

In Loving Memory

Last week was one of the saddest times. 

Dad and I traveled to Guatemala for a vacation. We had planned this vacation a long time ago, but we knew that it might be a sad visit. Two weeks before, my mom left to Guatemala to go take care of my Grandma, who wasn't doing so well. We went to visit her as soon as we landed. 

Tears streamed down my face as I saw the sad conditions of hospitals in Guatemala. I could see the suffering in her face as my mom pleaded with the doctors to see her. I will never forget the hour that I spent in that hospital. 

She passed away not two days after that. Despite these sad last days, Grandma lived an exceptional life. She never could boast of riches and of fancy things, but her life is an example to me of a woman who was optimistic, creative, brave, strong-willed, humble, and a true follower of Christ. 

I remember her crying when speaking of one time when I feel asleep at her feet when she was cooking. 

I remember her faithfully waiting for the bus to drop me off from school when I was two; she would walk home with me and sit with me as I drank my bottle. 

I remember her patiently teaching me how to hold a crochet needle, undoing my awful stitches, telling me to start again. 

I remember her feeding me toast with butter and jelly, and letting my sister and I watch TV while mom and dad came home from work. 

I remember cutting the flowers from her yard when we would play kitchen with the cousins and her stern admonitions to leave the flowers be. 

This one time, my sister, cousin, and I wrinkled up a Kleenex and tied it to a string. Every time she would bend over to get it, we would pull the string. When she finally realized what was happening, she yelled out an insult, and then started laughing along with us. 

She was patient with me when I was a brat. She even defended me when my parents got mad. 

She taught me to love my country and about patriotism and civic duty. 

She taught me a love for history and art.

She taught me that my strong will, imagination, and intelligence are what make me myself. She taught me to speak my mind, and to not be afraid of what others think.

She taught me to be kind to others, to respect others' opinions and ideas, and to reach out to the spiritually and physically needy. 

No long eulogy would do her justice. 

I am grateful to her for her great example of a Proverbs 31 woman. I know I will see her again someday. 

María Rosario "Raquel" Medina Ortiz
26 March,1922- 21 August, 2013

How I spent my summer

Summer is almost over! Two weeks-ish and it's back to school and life. I guess it's time to recap how everything went. 

Week 2 of EFY was fantastic. I had the chance of going to my future campus (hopefully!) and spend a week there with some wonderful people. I was in a trio again with Nate and Lauren and we had a great company. It was my first time working with the youngins. It was slightly harder and I felt more like a mom than a counselor haha but it was great. Thursday was the day of our testimony meeting, and I have never felt the Spirit more strongly at a 14 yr-old meeting. Their testimonies were incredible! 

Forever Strong: Lexi, Rachel, Lauren, Kirsten, Kolson, Amanda, Makae, Carmen, Zoe, Regan, Tasha, Taylor, Colby, Cole, Alyssa, Nathan, Nathan, Olivia, Rebecca, Tyler, Brittney, Jodi, Savannah, Makenzie, Tasha, Whitney, ? , Regan, Rebecca, Cassie, Cameron, Sam, Konner, Caleb, Chandler, Carson, Porter, Lauren, and I.

I'm blanking out on one of the boys' names, and a couple of the girls' names mainly because this group had a lot of similar names! If I forgot your name, I'm sorry. It was a while ago, but I promise I remember your spirit :). 

I then had a week off to come home and meet my new nephew, Daniel Seth Johnson. He's perfectly precious because he's a lot like me. But I guess even if he wasn't like me, I'd still like him. He's a bit sassy. 

Isn't he the cutest!?! My sister and bro in-law are really happy! This tiny addition to our family has already brought so many blessings, and I'm so grateful for him. 

Week 3 of EFY I was blessed to work with the youngins again. My trio this time included Matt and Natalie and we had so much fun. We worked really well together and we had some pretty good laughs with our kids. They were full of energy and always ready for all the activities. We won the cheer-off with an incredible re-wording of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive. The chorus went something like this: 
"I have great faith, I feel it in my bones, enough to lift my spirit up, welcome to the new way, to the new way, welcome to the new way, to the new way. Whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, I'm forever happy, forever happy..." 

Needless to say, our company name was Forever Happy. 

Me, Matt, and Natalie

Shandee, Camden, Katie, Gabe, Olivia, Sarah, Jesse, Jamie, ?, Erin, Keaton, Daniel, ? ? Kaylee, Sara, Celia, ?, Madi, ?, Paige, Rebecca, Merril, Adrielle, Makayla, Drew, Spencer, and Caden

 Once again, blanking out on a few. A cool experience from this session:
 This was an ASL accommodated session. Out of 300 kids, 11 were deaf. Everyone did a good job of including the deaf kids and being friendly, but my favorite, most spiritual experience of the week was during the Variety Show. A deaf girl got up to play the piano and her interpreter told us that she just wanted to bring in the Spirit through her song. It was honestly the worst piano playing I have ever heard. But what happened after was incredible. As the girl was chomping away at the piano keys, a murmur started in the crowd. Eventually, the whisper got to me. The girl in front of me told me to stand up and cheer like crazy when the playing was over, and to pass it on. I passed it on and the song ended. Everyone in the audience stood up and cheered for this little deaf girl. Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled over as I saw her grin. 299 kids made that deaf girl feel special and loved that day. And I will never forget it. There are good people in the world! The Gospel of Christ reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters and that we are all in some way or another handicapped. We all have different things that we struggle with. But we have each other and we can help each other feel loved and appreciated. 

Week 4 was fantastic. The Unperishables was our name, and the Brown Team lead it. #brownteam #davidisbrown. With these people I learned a lot about myself, actually. I learned humility on that last friday, and I learned patience and forgiveness. The last dance with these guys was a blast. But even from day one, I have never seen a company bond so fast. The Spirit was with us from the get-go and I know that a lot of prayers were answered. 

Tiffany, Bethany, Ariel, Anna, Cassady, Jordan, Rachel, Emily, Bethany, Makenzie, Jaden, Nick, Ryker, Jordan, Joe, Mason, Sam, Jordan, and Blake. Me, and David. 

I think this picture conveys this company perfectly. We were all ridiculously weird, and we loved it. We danced, and twerked in secret (only as was appropriate haha) sometimes, we cheered, and cried together. I saw miracles happen in my life and the lives of all of them during this week. I was so blessed to have been able to teach them and to be taught by them even more. I do hope I get to see some of them soon again.

This week I also was given the chance to be cast in a music video! It was for the EFY program and it was awesome. We had to learn the song in like 20 minutes, and then we did some shots! It promotes the EFY program and what it stands for, as well as the power of music. 

Right Place- Beyond 5 <-- check it out right here!

I then had another week off in which I did nothing but sleep a lot. I did hang out with my dearest friends though, and we went to the Mona Rope swing! 

Check it out <--- It was a blast. 

I came into week five feeling awful and sick. My throat was a mess and I had a terrible headache. Little did I know that my life was about to change once more. 

I met my girls which were all wonderful and ready with so much energy for the week. We met the boys and they were all fantastic as well. 

Travis, Ethan, Dustin, Carly, Josh, Courtney, Rylee, Taylor, Gabby, random photo bomber, Ben, Steven, Will, Me, Dani, Mara, Courtney, Kylee, Danny, Elsa, Carlos, Rebecca, Mikelle, Madee, and Josh. 

I can say with confidence that all of us learned the most from Danny and Carlos this week. Their stories are incredible. I found out that Carlos (in the front with blue stripes) was born completely normal. When he was two years old, he was a victim of a drunk driving incident that paralyzed the right side of his body. He now struggles with his speech and his manner of walking. But he is one of the most humble, happy, and spirited people I have ever met. Danny "westside" as we liked to call him has his lower body paralyzed. He is from Oakland, CA, has 11 siblings, and is trying to find a second job to help his dad out. 

My co and I were blessed with an increased testimony at the end of every day, but I could tell that that last day both of us realized just how blessed we had been with our youth. We learned that the Lord has a special way of teaching his children, especially when they least expect it. And that we must look for these teaching and learning opportunities and embrace them with a good attitude. 

I know EFY was the place where I was supposed to be this summer. I'm so grateful for the lessons I learned, and I pray that as I try to live in a manner that is close to the Spirit and Christ's teachings, I will be blessed to know how to improve.  

I'm stoked for this next year! My classes are gonna be killers, but it'll be a good challenge. 

Senior year of college, here we go.