From Rexburg to Salt Lake City

I bet all of you are like are like what the heck is up with the title..

No I didn't just leave Rexburg and move to Salt Lake City. Maybe someday but not today sadly.

Well friends! Kyrsten here had the lovely opportunity to travel to Salt Lake City today! Only with my communication class but still. I got to go lalala.

It was probably one of the greatest opportunities I have had so far at my time at BYU-Idaho. If I would've stayed in Ohio or something I don't think I would've been able to go to Utah.

I got to achieve one of my dreams today!

Aka the point of this whole post basically...

Ever since I went back to the church, it has been my dream to go see the Salt Lake City temple. It has literally been my background on my phone up until a couple of days ago. Only because I fell in love with the Logan Temple while doing a visual media project.

Anyways, today I finally got to achieve my dream! I got to see the temple.

Salt Lake City Temple

It is so beautiful. IT IS LIKE A CASTLE LIKE WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO GET MARRIED IN THAT TEMPLE... or the Logan one that one looks like a castle also. The fact that I actually got to go and see it. It was real and I touched the temple(only the outside because I couldn't go in and do baptisms because lack of time sad). I literally was just fangirling.

Being in a city basically full of Mormons is super weird especially the fact that not everyone is Mormon in Ohio. Even the fact that there were maybe 3 Mormon kids when I was in high school.

It was such a great day. I am defiently going back to Salt Lake as soon as I can to explore more. I didn't do enough. And I am actually gonna try as hard as I can to do a baptism session in there.

Okay I am weird. I have this goal. I want to visit every single temple is the US including the one in Alaska(probably won't be hard for reasons hahahaaha) and the two in Hawaii. I have been inside two and been on the grounds of 3! Hopefully that changes but ya know I can have goals.

Temples are one of one of my favorite parts about the gospel. You can ask my best friend about how he asked me what my favorite temple was and I gave him a list of like four or five. Haha its sad but so true. You can feel the Spirit so strong in the temple and even on the grounds. I cannot explain the answers I have received from just sitting on the grounds of the temple.

Even from today, I think I got a couple of answers from just walking on the grounds. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways but He does it for a reason.

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to go to Salt Lake City today basically for the first time(Not really counting flying into Utah and then driving up to Idaho). I am beyond ecstatic I finally got to see the SLC temple and walk on temple square. Can I just say how adorable the temple square missionaries are also? Like ugh I love that place so much. I hope to go again soon.

Sorry for the constant fangirling. I love this Church and the gospel so much. I have realized without it I would be some loser in debt for the rest of my life so thank you missionaries.

I love you all!

-Kyrsten

Power of Words

I never really realized how powerful writing is.

Recently I heard the term Power of Words and honestly it kinda hit me. I love to write. I obviously have my blog but I write other things. I didn't even think that someday it might be important to other people other than me. I know lots of people read my blog so I guess it is kinda important. Especially when most of the time I blog about nothing that is too important aka my personal life but at least it is something right?

Some people read my blog every single time I upload something. Others just view it when I post a link on facebook which is 9/10 times tbh but it is pretty sweet that people actually read what I have to say.

I guess that still shocks to me a point that people actually care what I have to say and such. Like hello friends thanks for reading how awkward and weird I am.

Since I am blogging I guess I could update you all on my current life.

I am basically halfway through my first semester of college and I love it. I love Idaho. So many great things have happened in the last 6-7 weeks. I literally have some of the greatest friends and I don't know what I would do without them especially when I am having a bad day they know how to cheer me up.

I have learned how to really open up and let go of the past and just enjoy life as it. I had a conversation with my best friend today and we talked about zombies haha. And usually I don't talk about zombies but it was something else. It was probably the most funniest entertaining conversation I had ever had especially with him.

Starting to get know someone pretty well is pretty awesome. That is all I can really say about it haha. Never ever thought my life would be the way it is now. I never thought I would live for Mondays and enjoy being a thousand miles away from where I grew up. Heck I never thought I would leave Ohio.

It is amazing to see the change in myself and how I am compared to even a couple of months ago. I have already started thinking about the future but I heard a cool quote it goes, "If you are scared than it must be important." That quote literally has been my life the last week or so.

I have had over 1000 things going through my head about almost everything known to man. I have been kinda stressed but I mean its all up to Heavenly Father and I have never gotten as huge of an answer to just trust him than recently. He also really answers your prayers!

I have been asking for an answer or a sign on a certain thing and I just got my answer after roughly two weeks of asking and arguing with multiple friends about it. (long complicated story). It is so worth it to just take a couple minutes of your day to pray and read your scriptures.

I usually I have a lot more to say but I don't want to give too much away and I don't want to jinx anything especially not for a very long time so stay tuned.

I am so excited for the future. I have this good feeling that the next couple of months are going to be good.

I say this a million times but thanks for taking time of your crazy day and such to read my blog! It means a lot to me that people actually pay attention and read anything that I post.

Until next time!

-Kyrsten

Ups and Downs

Its only Wednesday and this week has been crazy.

Monday was just a blah day in itself. I barley got to talk to my best friend when he emailed and that really sucked. Emailing him back and forth for a bit always puts a good outlook on my week and usually makes me want to power through alot. Oh yeah and then he told me when I did get to talk to him that I wouldn't be able to see him until summer.

So its weird because I saw him once in the past year and by the next time I see him it will be almost a year since I saw him last so that isn't fun ether. But I guess what kinda made up for it is that I understood for the most part what I was doing in my visual media class and I loved that. As bad as this sounds, I usually just tune out in that class especially when I don't get it. Its bad. Haha which my argument for that is I am a journalism emphasis why in the heck do I need to take a visual media class for my major. So yeah..

Yesterday, I think my roommate turned off my alarm so I missed missionary prep for the second time this semester. I was not happy when I woke up yesterday. Like I had things planed and I was ready and it was just blah. Not fun at all.  So I kinda took the advantage of the fact that I missed my one and only class on Tuesdays and went back to sleep for a couple of hours. That was pretty nice because sleep has been weird. Like I am constantly tired due to work/school/social life.

But instead of being all down and bad about it. I got to go to the temple yesterday. It was over a week since the last time I went and so it was so nice going. Skipping out on a going to the temple is not a good idea. Always try to fit it into your week. Thats what I need to do better. Thats for sure.

My friend inspired to me to start doing some family history work and oh my I found a good four or five names to take to the temple. All by myself and it makes me so happy that they are my names and such. Made me so happy that I have found a little bit of family history done. It is not like most of my friends but its a good start especially with how my family is going and such.

As you can tell this week has been kinda crazy but let me say this. I know everything happens for a reason. I think that Heavenly Father didn't let me talk to him that much because I got a letter on Saturday from him and let me say I was so happy receiving a letter from someone I care about so much. Especially when you come home from a long day of work and in your mailbox is a letter from your favorite person.

I am so grateful for this gospel. I am grateful for the people who support me and make sure that I stay sane and just cheer me up when I need it. Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog! I love you all!

-Kyrsten

Week of Wonders

I don't understand how people can go unemployed for months and not go kinda crazy.

I went unemployed for a good month or so and I kinda went crazy. I started work yesterday and I loved every moment of it. Well okay walking up a hill after standing for four straight hours no thanks but otherwise work wasn't bad.

You would think for a subway inside of a walmart they would be way more busy. Nope they were dead for a bit and my coworker was doing stuff and that was all that was left to do so I had nothing to do. I was so bored out of my mind till she was like you can leave if you want. Leaving twenty minutes on your first day of work is pretty special let me say. My boss even brought me and my coworker a donut so I mean heck yeah friends.

I am training to open on Saturdays and then work from like 9:30-2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays which isn't bad. And once a month one Sundays. I may work Mondays before class but my schedule isn't totally terrible. And its alot better than what I worked in Ohio sorry to say kinda not really anyways.
The people I met yesterday were super nice especially the girl I like her a bunch. Shes in her last semester here and I am in my first semester so it is good to get the whole perspective.

Things have gotten so much better lately and I am so thankful for everything. My prayers have defiantly been answered lately. It is so amazing what the art of prayer can do! Before I never really noticed how the art of prayer works until I came here. It is truly amazing. I love this gospel more than anything and I think I say that all the time but eh who cares.

I literally have so much to say but I have to kinda keep things to myself for awhile till I see how they work out. Trust me I would love to share every single thing that is exciting and going on but life is pretty good at the moment.

I mean I got super homesick the other day. I really miss Ohio. I miss my weekly trips to mcdonalds even though that is so unhealthy. I also miss my sisters a bunch. Talking to them over skype isn't the same. But im praying that I am going home for Christmas. That would be so nice to go home for Christmas. I have to work out a couple of details but I am crossing my fingers that Ill be there for like two weeks or so. I don't know it just depends on a lot of things.

Thanks for all the support and such!

-Kyrsten

From Slump to Success

I am the weirdo who thinks Mondays are the best day of the week.

And today been the best day ever so I mean who could hate Mondays. Just kidding I can name people off the top of my head who hates Mondays.

I woke up at 8 Idaho time from my best friend texting me to tell me to get up. My reaction was I hate you I don't have class until 2 stop texting me. Anyways lets just say I texted her and for a good half an hour I went back to sleep till I woke up to an email.

Yes I am a girl who loves weekly emails from some of my favorite people. And emailing my best friend is my favorite part of the week other than going to the temple every week. That is a great habit that I have developed since I have moved here.

He told me something great this week that made me basically cry but I promise you all its not the bad sort of cry. I needed to hear that so much. He said, "Just know that your Heavenly Father, family, and me will love you even if you don't go on a mission." I have been feeling like I am going to be disappointing so many people including him if I didn't go..It has made me so sad and so freaked out to tell anyone that I was thinking of not going. That sentence brought me to tears and it was the most comforting thing I had read in the last week or so other than the talk I read yesterday but not the point.

He is super great and I am so proud of him. He is going home in February and as sad as I am to see him leave the mission field I am so excited for him to be home at the same time. He deserves it.  I am super grateful for him and I hope he knows it.

Also! I have some pretty good news! I am possibly/probably getting a job! I had some guy from Subway call me today and seem super excited about me working there and such. So fingers crossed I get the job! And prayers would be awesome!

Things are finally looking up. I am happy and excited about things for the first time in like a week and a half. Heavenly Father listens to your payers and listens to your concerns let me tell you. I never been so confident about that. It does get better.

I know for awhile I was just drowning myself by thinking why but then this past Sunday one of the women in my ward spoke on this great talk by Sister Cook. It is called Never.Never, Never Give Up. I totally recommend it. Giving up is the last option and I know that Heavenly Father is truly on my side and believes in me.

I love you all and thanks for all the prayers and advice given to me! I appreciate it all. I will certainly have an update this week on everything!

-Kyrsten.

Temples!

I think the temple is probably one of the most best places to go.

It is one of the best parts of my week or even month(s) to go.

I will forever have a special place in my heart for the Columbus Ohio Temple. It is the first temple I had ever gone too. It is home basically.

 It will forever be one of my favorite places.

The Rexburg Temple is so special and dear to my heart. I have been able to go inside once a week since it has opened again. And I totally reccomend starting to have a routine in going. I don't remember why I used to go 4-6 months without going to the temple it has amazed me in the growth.

For example, today I got to go with a couple of friends. And it was amazing. My week had been okay just dealing with the what nots of life and how Heavenly Father gave me a huge shock but ya know. I did baptisms today and you can see where the people who you do the baptisms for and I had three people from Ohio and I was like what the heck thats so cool.

I have a such a strong testimony of temples. They will bring such unity and light and joy into your life and make you so much happier.

I am so grateful to live down the street. Most kids on campus have to walk a good twenty-thirty minutes from campus when all I have to do is walk about five minutes from it. I can see a clear view from it from my apartment and it is so beautiful.

I am so excited for the day that I get to be sealed inside a temple. It may not be the Rexburg Temple but maybe someday the Salt Lake City Temple who knows a girl can dream.

But I promise there are many blessings from going to the temple and doing sessions no matter what. I have loved being a little happier even on my bad weeks and days and having Heavenly Father give me answers.

So if you haven't been to the temple in a long time I so reccomend going because it is such an amazing experience and it is eye opening!

-Kyrsten

Strong Faith

The past week and a half has been probably the most interesting week and a half in awhile.

From trying to figure out somethings I have really had things shaken up for me.

I feel like my faith in a bunch of things were really tested.

Recently I was having a rough couple of days and it was Monday(They are my favorites for so many reason) I had given up hope and i just wanted to go to my last class and I got two emails from two of my friends. Emails are the best but thats not the point.

One of them was just "Well I hope this makes you smile and maybe laugh a little." and then followed by three photos that made me laugh and smile so much I was almost crying. I didn't ask for these photos and how the heck he knew to send me those is totally out of my knowledge but I smiled like an idiot the rest of the day the smallest things make you happy especially on a rough Monday when you didn't think things would get better. Heavenly Father really knows when you need something to cheer you up and to be honest that was so perfect.

My other email was just a friend telling me how happy things worked out and how he was amazed because you don't really hear of the difference that you make when you leave. He is pretty cool even if he takes nine years to email me back but ill forgive him that time haha.

I included those in my blog post because those really snapped me back into place for a bit. Faith is such a hard thing to have sometimes especially when you feel the whole world is against you. And I won't lie I have kinda felt like the past week or so. It isn't fun.

The one thing that gets me through most of the time that no matter the terrible luck that I have and no matter how many things decide to go wrong in one week that everything happens for a reason and that He has a plan for me. Those are constant words that echo through my head.

Trials only make us stronger in the end and I think no matter what it gets better no matter if it is the next day,week or even month. It gets better at some point and that is so comforting.

I don't know what is going to happen and I sure hope that my luck turns around pretty soon but I am grateful to be around the gospel all the time and to have the support system I have cheering me on!

-Kyrsten

Conference Weekend

I had my whole life planned out up until a couple of days ago.

School for a semester and then I was going to go on my mission and then sometime after that I was going to get married in the Salt Lake City Temple to my eternal companion for all time and eternity.

I am still in school don't worry. I am still in Idaho alive and well. Pretty broke but im a college student. I just don't know if I am going to go on my mission quite yet. Now I already hear the gasps and the red alarms coming from every single one of you. Heck if you were on Facebook and backlash from a couple of days ago you would kinda understand.

That is not the reason why I am pushing off going. I still have so much to figure out with my life. I am trying to survive my first semester. I am loving it so much but I have never had to figure out who I am as much as right now. I don't know if I should go. I don't know if it is right for me. I was going to start my papers within the next two weeks. I even told my best friend who I was emailing this week and he was super excited for me. But what if it isn't for me?

I am not hurt by this recent thought of maybe not serving a mission. I have faith whatever I am going to do that it is because of Him and he knows.

Don't worry about me. I call my dad and vent for a good twenty or so minutes a couple of times of week and I love it. It is always what I need but this weekend was so special to me! The gospel always and forever has my back.

As a member of the Church twice a year we do a conference called General Conference. Our general authorities speak to us about all sorts of topics. Cool thing is that we do not know who is talking or what they are talking about day of.

This conference was super special. We got three new Apostles and I already know that they are going to do great work among us.

The talks this year were so amazing and so wonderful! Of course they all reaffirmed that the Lord knows my desires and has a plan for me. That brings me such comfort. Even if I don't know what I am doing with my life He does.

Our wonderful loving President, President Thomas S.Monson said that we need to pray always and things will be good.  Prayer is so important. I cannot even exclaim how important the act of prayer is.

I always strive to do good. I have room to improve. I went into conference and I was like should I start my papers? When should I go? Why do people serve missions?

I got the answers of wait don't even start your papers you may not go. Now you may be like Kyrsten you were going to go I am so sad blah blah blah. Yeah well guess what friends? I am kinda sad about it too. But if I am not meant to go I won't go. I have to pray about it. I haven't even turned 19 yet. Maybe I just didn't get the answers I thought I was going to.

I have such a strong testimony of this Church. I am so grateful to be apart of it. I know that whatever I do in the next 6+ plus are because of Him and only because He has a plan for me. So please don't be sad! It will all work out in some sort way.

In other unrelated news that I keep talking about but no one really cares about my best friends will be home by next general conference! I am beyond excited. He only has 234 days left. Craziness especially how I met him as a baby missionary!

Anyways, I love you all! Thanks for standing by me always and putting up with me! I will keep you all informed!

-Kyrsten