God does give us more than we can handle!

As I was lying in my bed tonight, trying to fall asleep but stressing out about all of the things I have to do tomorrow and knowing that the longer it takes me to fall asleep, the less time I'll actually have to be asleep, I couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.  When I planned out my schedule for this semester, I knew it would be challenging, I mean, I'm almost 3/4 of the way done with college.  It's pretty much a given that classes will get harder.  But the amount of homework that I've had this semester has far exceeded any of my other semesters.  The thought came to me that God does give us more than we can handle.  ON OUR OWN.  He gives us hard things to go through, sometimes to turn us back to him.  With God, ALL things are possible!
 There have been many times in my life where I never would have had the courage or the strength or the over all ability to perform a task without the help of my Heavenly Father.  Before I came back to school this semester, my dad gave me a priesthood blessing.  One of the many things that he said in it was that I would have to experience hard things but that I would be able to get through them through the help of my Heavenly Father.   When I first heard that, I almost wished that I hadn't gotten the blessing, but even in just the first three weeks of this semester, I've been thankful for that blessing and for the promises that were made to me.  I KNOW that no matter how hard this semester is or how hard the trials I have to go through in my life will be, that I can get through them through my Savior. God really does give us more than we can handle on our own.  But when we put our trust in him, we CAN get through anything!!

Why am I at BYU-Idaho?

There have been countless days since I started college 2 1/2 years ago where I really wanted to quit and where If I would have been completely serious, my parents would have come and picked me up.  I literally called home (most times crying), my first whole month of college.  I asked myself so many times if I really had what it would take to be successful.  I doubted myself more times than I can say.  I struggled to find my place and find what I love.  Every time I would have these thoughts, I would remember why I came here in the first place.  My initial decision to attend BYU-Idaho was not very thought out.  I'd prayed about it but all along, I had been planning to attend BYU in Provo.  I had good grades in high school, I did pretty well on the ACT so there was really no reason why I shouldn't have been accepted so I really just applied to BYU-I because it was the same application.  I never felt like I received an answer to my prayer and looking back now, I'm almost positive that the reason for that is because I wouldn't let go of my pride.  I always thought I was "too good" for BYU-Idaho, I thought that it was not as good as BYU.  When I didn't get accepted to BYU, I had a really hard time but it only took me a few days to realize that it was really an answer to my prayer.  I would never have come to Rexburg if I'd been accepted to both schools!  I've made some of the best friends of my life here and it has blessed my life in countless ways!  I'll forever be grateful for the fact that I did not get accepted to BYU Provo!  But the real reason why I'm writing this is because of an experience I had yesterday that reminded me of subsequent experiences I've had every semester I've been at college.  While I was at devotional yesterday, I just had the overwhelming confirmation that once again, I'm supposed to be in Rexburg, RIGHT NOW!!  On September 30th, 2014, I wrote this in my journal:

      "I have had the spirit whisper to me sooo many times in just the short three weeks that I have been in Rexburg of the fact that I need to be at BYU-I right now.  My decision to come here has been confirmed countless times and it so comforting to me to know that this really is where I need to be right now.  I'm so very grateful that Heavenly Father allows us to receive personal revelation."

I'm really thankful that I wrote that down because when things have gotten, hard, it has helped me to remember that Heavenly Father TRULY needs me to be here right now.  Every semester that I have been here, I have received that same witness.  I have been asked several times why I didn't serve a mission.  This is why! I know without a doubt that this is where I'm supposed to be!

Lots of Pictures!! And my thoughts about 2016

So, since my computer crashed before Thanksgiving, I'v had a lot of pictures that have just been sitting on my computer, so here are a bunch from Thanksgiving and a few from Christmas!  I can't believe that 2016 is over!!

The SUPER amazing Pinata that Lindsey and I made for Thanksgiving! 

Keith LOVED it!!  He kept on calling it the Dino-roar :)  I sure love my adorable nephew!!

Giving the dino-roar hugs before it gets smashed 

The only kind of decent picture I got with Keith haha :) 

CHRISTMAS BREAK!! 

I made this for my cousin Lexcie for her bridal shower!  I was pretty happy with how it turned out!!

The yummy cookies my mom and I made!

Feeding the cows!!

So much snow!!  (This is after it had all been plowed away!)

These next few pictures were taken with my cell phone which, if you've seen it you would be very impressed with the quality ha!! :)

My SUPER adorable nephew Paul on Christmas morning :) I love him soo, so much!!! 

I just love the sunsets at home! 

A lot happened over Christmas break!  My Brother and Sister-in-law flew in from Phoenix Arizona to spend Christmas with my family.  My nephew Paul was so much fun to play with!!  My grandma also had to go to the emergency room on Christmas night.  She ended up being life flighted to St. Luke's in Boise where she spent about two weeks.  We found out that she has heart failure which was pretty unexpected.  She is now back in Weiser at the Nursing home.  I'm so grateful for all that happened in 2016.  Some things weren't very fun at all, but other things were great!!  I learned so much about the person I want to become and the things I need to do to get there!  I'm thankful for my Savior, for his sacrifice for me.  I know that if it weren't for him, the hard things in this life would be unbearable!  Being faced with the possibility of losing my grandma a lot sooner than we thought has really put life into perspective for me.  We need to show more love and appreciation for those we love, especially our family members.  We don't know how long we will get to spend with them so we need to take advantage of every minute.  Stop putting things off because you don't have the time.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  I know with all of my heart that it is the only way to find true and lasting happiness!  Here's to 2017 and to the many adventures, happy times and trials that I'm sure await me.  I know that when we put our trust in God, we can get through any hard time!