Class of 2015

Here we are. The class of 2015!

Okay, not what you think. This is the graduating class from seminary from the two stakes in my area. We're missing a few people who were out of town tonight, and one who's already on his mission (whoa!), but that's us. Aren't we cute?

So, we graduated seminary. And ten of us, five from each stake, graduated with four years of honors, meaning that each year we:

• read the book,
• memorised all 25 scripture masteries,
• passed a scripture mastery test, and
• had at least 75% attendance

And I graduated with honors, which was cool. But what's even cooler is that in the next three years, the honors award is going to be phased out entirely. With the changes in the seminary program, the drive to #elevate our learning, all of those things are now REQUIRED to pass seminary, along with passing a basic doctrine test. It's AMAZING to see how we are living during the hastening of the Lord's work!

But anyhow... Honestly, I just have to talk about seminary. Seminary is the single greatest thing EVER. We do early morning here in Myneton, and it's the BEST way to start the day! Waking up early to make it by 6:15 isn't easy, but it is definitely worth it. Feeling the Spirit so strongly first thing is AWESOME.

Seminary has been such a blessing to me over the last four years of my life, and I am so sad that it's over. When I went through hard times with my faith, and I doubted and wondered, the answers I needed often came at seminary, in the lesson, or the devotional, or the hymns we sang. And that is incredible. Seminary did so much to strengthen my testimony of this gospel, of Christ and His atonement.

My freshman year we studied the Old Testament, sophomore year we studied the New Testament, last year we studied the Book of Mormon, and this year we did Doctrine and Covenants/Church History. And what a year it was!

I put a lot of effort into seminary this year, and what I got out was incredible. I journalled a whole bunch too, so later, I'll remember it all. And I just want to talk about it.

I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and that he was chosen to restore Christ's church in modern times.
I know that the priesthood, the power and authority to act for God, has been restored to the earth, and that our priesthood holders can exercise this power for the benefit of everyone.
I know that families can be together forever, and that is why temples and family history work are so important!
I know that trials will make you stronger, and that the Lord knows what He is doing when He asks you to do hard things.
I know that Christ lived and died for each one of us, and that through His atoning sacrifice, we can make it back to live with our Father in Heaven.
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's true church upon the earth today, and that it is the only church with 100% of the Gospel.
And I know that God knows me personally.

And I didn't learn all of this for the first time this year in seminary. But seminary strengthened my testimony immensely. And I am so grateful for it.

Birthdays & a Brother & Bassoon & Band!

Today's post is full of random. Fair warning.

Yesterday was the birthday of two of my dearest friends, Spo and Tri.

I've been close to Spo since the fifth grade, back in Podunk- and random things I remember, the first real conversation we had was about cancer; her uncle had it and so did my grandma. And so that's what a pair of eleven year-old girls bonded over. Great, right? She's amazing, and hilarious, and funny, and she's been one of the things that has kept me sane. She's listened to me vent and cry and tell funny stories and I've done the same for her, and I love her a ton! Since I moved away from Podunk two and a half years ago, she's one of the only people I still talk to. Talking to her always makes my week- I kid you not when I tell you that sometimes we crack jokes that are five years old and still laugh hysterically. She's just fantastic.

(Also, just for the record, we talk on the phone. Like, not texting. That's right, teenagers still know how to do that!)

And then there's Tri. I met her a few months after I moved out here to Myneton, when she moved here too. She was in my ward, and I spent the first few moths she moved here trying to get her to come to seminary, come to Mutual, get involved. She was being home schooled. I was actually super obnoxious, but she told me later that my efforts to reach out to her meant a lot to her. She's helped me through some hard stuff, and I've been there for her, and I am very glad I know her, even though she moved away less than a year after she got here. Tragic.

So I talked to both of them yesterday, and I just think they are fantastic and you all need to know that!

I say you all but I seriously doubt anyone actually reads this blog. Ha. ;)

On the subject of birthdays, later this week is Rle's birthday, which I'm excited about, because I just love her! I'll probably devote a whole post to her later. There is a LOT I could say. 

And! Next Monday is my big brother's birthday! He's currently on a mission in Mexico, and just for the record, he writes THE COOLEST letters home! But I've been working on a letter for him, and it's kind of a huge one. Ok, so all of my letters to him are super long. But this one's a really big deal. My older brother is one of the best people on the planet. He's a role model to me, and I really look up to him and I love him a lot. So. Yeah. Birthday letter? Big deal!

Also, two of my cousins have birthdays this month, and my dad and my aunt. Crazy busy, right?

And the last thing for today is band. Our region's honour band is this week, and I'm in it- I play bassoon actually. If you don't know what a bassoon is, here:

Anyhow. Best instrument ever! I've been playing since the sixth grade. Love it! But! Honour band. All the best instrumentalists from the surrounding schools get to come patrticipate- it's sorta a big deal. Except that Myneton is the biggest city in the area and our high school has an enrollment of about 1300. The other schools are even smaller, and super spread out, because we live in the rural middle of nowhere. But that's ok!

So there's about 100 band geeks on a stage, and we rehearse all day today and all day tomorrow and then we do a concert and everyone goes home. It's super cool. And our guest conductor is from a high school in the next state over that has one of the best bands ever- it's marching band has won the Bands of America competition under his direction multiple times, and the concert band is better than many college ensembles. And he's a crazy good director, so it's basically a blast.

Except for that today, I had a tragic occurrence. I broke the bocal of my bassoon, snapped right in two. BAD. BADBADBADBADBADBADBADBADBAD! Thankfully, I have an extra bocal, but I'm going to have to replace the other one-and it's actually my school's instrument. So. There's that. I'm super upset about it, though, because it was so STUPID and AWFUL. I've been playing since sixth grade. SIXTH GRADE. And I've never damaged my instrument like that. Ugh. I felt so bad about it. Miserable. Ok, also. This is the third year I've been playing this particular bassoon and I've named it Phillippe. You don't get that attached to an instrument and not get upset if you damage it.

I kid you not. At our lunch break, I went and got ice cream, and I was eating it like I'd gone through a bad breakup. Chocolate, with cookie dough and brownie bites and chocolate chips and hot fudge and caramel and whipped cream. I'm upset. Really upset. It's not fun. I mean, it hasn't rendered my bassoon unplayable... But I still feel AWFUL.

I was at lunch with Rle and my little sister. I think they were concerned for me. But then, we had this idea...
So I texted Tak and Mec:

Eating ice cream like I just went through a bad breakup....

Tak responded first: Oh boy. What kind?
Me: A really painful unexpected one. Unless you're asking about the ice cream, then it's chocolate.
Tak: The ice cream actually, but if you want to talk about the other I'm cool with that too
Me: Haha... Actually, I'm just super upset because I broke my bassoon.
Tak: That'll do it
Me: Eeyupp. And it's just the first day of honour band, no big deal....
Tak: Isn't the concert tomorrow night?
Me: Eeyupp.
Tak: Shoot.
Tak: Is it fixable?
Me: Yeah... Already taken care of, actually. I just snapped the bocal in half and I have two... But they're different and I have to pay for the new one, and it was such a stupid thing to happen. I'm just really upset about it. Felt the need to complain.
Tak: Feel better?
Me: Totally. Ice cream and complaining fix everything.
Tak: Totes

***I could not believe he said that. Super out of character for him!***

Then the conversation went other directions.

Mec replied a few minutes later: Ice cream is awesome.
Me: Yep.
Mec: Is everything ok
Me: I just broke Phillippe, is all. Rather upsetting.
Mec: Aww
Me: Yeah. It's fixable. And not gonna ruin honour band for me. But upsetting.
Mec: I know the feels
Me: Yeah...

Then that conversation went other directions too. And then I had the afternoon rehearsal session for honour band.

So yeah. That was my day today. I'm super bummed about my Phillippe. But it's fixable. But still.

This week is adventurous. :P