For Clay.

Things are about to get a little crazy in my life, so I thought that even though I don't feel prepared to write this post, now is the time. This is - uncharacteristic of me - a somber post.

People tell me that I have a good way with words, but I always feel that when it really matters, I never express myself in the way I mean it. If this is a little choppy, forgive me.

There are a lot of people in the world. A lot. They've got as many different problems as you can imagine. For me, last year was one of the hardest years I've ever experienced, and I wondered often how I'd ever make it through. At times I was unbearably lonely, and wondered occasionally if I had depression. My classes were overwhelming, I missed my friends back home, and I was having a hard time adjusting to college life. I can tell you - a year later - that eventually the clouds do part and the sun shines again. If you wait long enough, and if you show a little faith, Heavenly Father will always come through for you. All you have to do is keep on enduring.

If you feel like you're alone, take a minute to sit down with your friends and open up your heart to them - they are your friends because they love you, because they will always have time for you, and because it hurts them to see you unhappy. Feelings of depression, anxiety, doubt, fear, and hopelessness are never warranted and never divine. Please recognize that these feelings are not coming from God. I hope that you will never decide on suicide as a way to solve your problems. It is a tragic and desperate move; Make no mistake, if anybody of us saw this coming, we'd drop anything to come to your rescue.

Clay, you were close to my friends, but never as close to me. When we went to the same parties and get-togethers, I was always jealous of your smile, of the way you carried yourself. You had a reputation for being exceptionally kind and thoughtful, for making small but intimate sacrifices for those you loved. You were remarkable, and we miss you already - you've changed our lives. I hope that things are working out for you on the other side. We're holding together as best we can down here.

Miss You. Love You. God Bless You.

Love My Roommates.

{thank you Brittany for sharing your secrets}

Greeeen!

Okay. I am taking ENGL 312, an upper-level Persuasive Writing course, and my teacher has got me thinking about all kinds of political issues and "big deal" goings-on around the world. In my free time, suddenly I've stopped going on Facebook and I'm finding sites like Good Magazine.

You know the craziest part? If you subscribe to Good Magazine, they just donate your money to charity! That's awesome.

Anyways. There's a lot of good things about it, but my favorite part is easily the videos that they have posted about achieving harmony with the ecosystem. These people are so creative and they are using their God-given talents to improve the planet! It's worth your time. Check it out.

P.S. My dad totally works for Questar Gas. I don't know how much he'd love this post.

2 Nephi 31:20

"Wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end. Behold, thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life."

Today a wonderful thing happened. It actually caused me to exclaim, and yell "YES!! YESS!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW!" at the top of my lungs.

What happened? I got into PdBio 220 Section 002: Human Anatomy. Let me explain the import of this to you: There are 4 professors that teach the subject, but only 1 of them teaches the class because she wants to (rather than being required to by the university). Professor Tomco is so passionate about the subject that she is devoting her life to be a teacher of it. It's common knowledge that Tomco is the only good teacher in this class. I have an extreme interest in the subject as well, and refuse to settle for less than the best teacher.

I tried to add her class online every day - on average of 6 times per day - for over 2 months. Doing the math, I calculate that I checked about 400 times before I actually got into the class: On the evening of the last day before the Add/Drop Deadline.

I never gave up, and God knew how bad I wanted this, and He came through for me. Go team. Just one more testimony that when it really counts, God's got your back.

my favorite thing about the west coast

There comes a time in every young man's life when he must perform the rite of passage. This has nothing to do with buying a car, getting a job, or receiving dad's swiss army knife that's been in the family for generations (which I lost). This is it: a road trip.


It all started one night when Steve, Will, and I were sitting in my basement, talking about how great it would be to go to California. And this time, when Steve said "we should go," I replied,

"Pick a date."

And then it happened. We didn't make any additional plans - no events, no activities, no sights to see, just get in the car and drive. Drive to California with the sun at our backs and end up in Oceanside. It was the most fun I've had in a very long time.


When we got to Oceanside, I ran to the water's edge, and I was so excited to get into it, I mean all the way into the water, that I laughed and dove into a wave. I came up choking - and laughing - on the cool briny seawater.


We snorkled, we watched horse races, we went to a reggae concert, we shopped, surfed, and soaked up the sun. We went dancing with some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. On the way home, we stopped to wakeboard on a mirror of water in the shadow of the Hoover Dam.


When we pulled back into Salt Lake City, the sun setting sleepily in my rear-view mirror, I smiled to myself and thought, when we go on vacation, we make it count.


Now, we're getting back into the swing of school. I miss the lazy summer days already, but I can't tell you how excited I am to get back to learning - this year I will hold a brain in my hands, find out just how many germs are on our toilet seat here, increase my flexibility, and learn from the #1 rated professor on ratemyprofessors.com.