Another End But Many New Beginnings

With only one week remaining in my JUNIOR year of college, I've gotten to be pretty sentimental.  I won't be coming back to Rexburg for 9 months due to some amazing opportunities that have come my way, so leaving this time is a little harder than it's been the last several times.  I'll be doing an internship this fall (more about that will be coming at a later time because I don't have very many details yet) So I won't be coming back to school till January which is absolutely crazy to think about!!!  This semester has been amazing, hard, emotional, stressful, and I have grown a great deal.  I have made some of the best friends of my life who have helped me to become a better person.  One of my really good friends left today so a few of us got together last night for dinner and it really started to sink in that we won't see each other for at least nine months, if not longer.  I'll most likely be in Kansas this fall, one will be in Nebraska this summer and one will possibly be in Colorado for her Master's degree this fall.  As I was driving home after dinner, I started to reminisce about all of the fun times I've had since I've been in college as well as the amazing people I've met.  I've grown closer to some of the people I've met here and known for only a few months than I ever was with any of the people in Weiser that I've known for my whole life!  I was also thinking about how fast things change and how being an adult is so weird!  Change is a natural part of life, but it's always been something that I struggled with.  There are a lot of changes coming my way in a really short period of time so I'm trying to prepare myself in advance for the added stress and responsibility.  I know that without a doubt my Heavenly Father is mindful of me.  I'm so thankful for the amazing blessing that have come into my life from being at BYU-Idaho and I am really excited for the new and amazing experiences I'll have in the next several months!  I know that when we put God first in our lives and remember to give thanks to him in all things, everything else will fall into place!!

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!

Don't settle for anything less than you deserve!

I've been thinking a lot lately and while yes, that can be dangerous, I have come to one conclusion: I will not settle when it comes to marriage.  It's been 4 1/2 months since I last posted on here!  I can't say anything huge has happened in those 4 1/2 months but I am two weeks away from finishing my 5th semester of college! :) The reason I really decided to write this blog post is because I saw this picture on Facebook:


Yes, some of the things on it are a little silly, but for the most part I really liked it and I decided I wanted to write more than just a Facebook post about it because, while no, I won't ONLY marry a cowboy despite what some of my friends think, I want to marry someone who does have good manners and who cares deeply about me.  I want to marry someone who respects me and my parents and who will put my well being ahead of his own, just as I will do for him.  I want to marry some one who loves God more than anything else and always puts his relationship with Him first because I know that when we both have a deep relationship with our Father in Heaven and understand the Atonement in our lives, we will be able to get through anything that the world can possibly throw at us.  I haven't always had the greatest self esteem.  In fact, that is something I have struggled with most of my life but this I do know: I know that I am a daughter of God and I know that he wants what is best for me and he would never want me to settle for less than I deserve.  Sometimes (most times), waiting for the Lord's timing can be REALLY hard!  It has taken me a long time to learn to be patient.  Some of you might think "Gosh Carly, you're really young, you don't know the first thing about waiting for and accepting the Lord's timing" and guess what?  You're probably correct!  I don't understand why things happen sometimes.  There is still a lot that I need to learn but I do know that I'm happier when I seek the Lord's will in my life even if it's not what I thought I wanted!  And let me tell you, I've learned that the hard way, in my short 21 years!  So now that you know more about me than you probably wanted to, I would tell you this: never settle for less than the Lord has in store for you.  It may take longer than you would like to get there and sometimes there is an easier way that may present itself, but be patient!  Continue striving to be the best person that you can be.  Strengthen your relationship with God and eventually, things have a way of working themselves out!
Love, Carly

My Thoughts About The Last Three Months

If you would have told me in January that I would be staying in Rexburg for the summer, there's no way I would have believed you!  At the start of every new semester, I get pretty homesick and it just takes me awhile to get used to being in Rexburg again so for me to voluntarily stay here is a pretty big deal.  At the end of March and the beginning of April, I felt like I really needed to stay in Rexburg.  I was dating someone, and while that wasn't the only reason I stayed, it was the reason I initially started to think about staying.  Well, the last week of the semester, after I had already made all of the arrangements to stay, we broke up.  I started to question my decision to stay, but I still felt VERY strongly that I needed to stay in Rexburg.  I got a job after only looking for one week, I was able to get a contract for the apartment right next door to the apartment I was living in, and I was going to be roommates with two of my best friends.  The day I was leaving Rexburg to go home for the break between winter and spring semester, I found out that my mom had hurt her hand really bad, would have to have surgery, and really wouldn't be able to use her hand for at least a month.  Once again, I questioned my decision to stay in Rexburg.  I'd already paid my rent for the entire semester and I'd just been offered a job that morning.  When I got home, I talked to my parents about what I should do.  They both encouraged me to come back to Rexburg, even though I really felt like they needed me at home to help out on the ranch.  My mom told me several times that there must be some reason that I needed to stay in Rexburg since I'd gotten an apartment and a job with very little effort.  I felt really guilty leaving to come back to Rexburg at the end of the week that I was home.  My mom had her surgery two days before I left to repair the nerves and the tendons that had been cut when a calf kicked her hand along a barb while fence.  The only thing that made me leave was the overwhelming feeling that I needed to be in Rexburg, so I left.  When I look back on the past three months, there aren't any really huge reasons that I can pinpoint as to why I needed to stay here, but there are a lot of really little things.
      First, I have never had a real job working for anyone other than my parents, and while I was just working at a restaurant, It has been one of the biggest learning experiences I've had in my life.  I feel like I'm a fairly responsible person, but I feel like having this job has taught me a newer level of responsibility.  I had to learn to work with people that I really didn't get along with.  And the thing that has been most valuable about having this job is it has given me a different perspective about work in general.  I've had to work all of my life, but I always looked at the things that we had to do on the ranch as a check list that needed to be completed as quickly as possible so that I could do other things.  I've had a lot of time to be by myself to think this summer and my thought process regarding this has changed.  Living on a ranch is really a full time job that doesn't end.  There are always things that need done, and just as I was always looking for things that needed to be done at my job at New York Burrito, I should be doing that when I'm at home.  There are soooo many things that always need to be done that I just never even considered doing.  I'm thankful for all that this job has taught me, even though most days I dreaded going to work.  It has made me appreciate the upbringing that I had.  When I started my job, I never thought I would learn all that I did!
     Second, I had the privilege of being a Relief Society teacher in my ward.  This is my fourth semester with the same calling!  I have learned A LOT because of this opportunity.  I have grown closer to my savior and my understanding of the gospel has increased.  In my patriarchal blessing, I was told that I would be called many times to be a teacher.  I have seen that promise come to pass and I have also seen a bunch of the other promises I received regarding teaching come to pass as well.  It has been an incredible experience and has really strengthened my testimony of the power of Patriarchal Blessings.  I know that they are TRULY from God!
      On a less serious note, I had the incredible opportunity to go to an amazing concert here in Rexburg.  Josh Turner did a concert on campus and my roommate and I went to it.  If you know me, you know that I LOVE country music!  Josh Turner is one of my favorite country artists so to be able to go to his concert was awesome!  I had a blast!

The aftermath of the concert!

       I also got to go to Utah for a week at the end of June to spend time with Clay, Emily and Keith.  I most likely wouldn't have been able to go if I was at home and it was sooo fun to spend so much time with my precious nephew.

         Lastly, I've met some pretty amazing people this semester who have had a lasting influence on my life.  While I did miss the home comings for my cousin and best friend who had both been serving LDS missions, the friendships and relationships I've made this semester made it a little bit easier to miss them.  I truly believe that god puts people in our lives, precisely when and how we need them.  He is intimately involved in the details of our lives and this semester, I have really been able to witness that.

I'm grateful that God knows exactly what we need in our lives and I'm thankful that he guides us to do what we need to do if we will but seek his guidance.  He knows what we can become if we do the things that he would have us do.  He knows exactly what circumstances we need to be placed in in order to grow the most that we can.  This semester has been a huge learning experience for me that I wouldn't trade for anything!  

This is why I keep a Journal/ We are sooo Loved!

As I was reading through some journal entries from the beginning of 2016, I came across one where I wrote, "I can definitely feel the Lord's hand in my life!  I know that I wouldn't be able to get through school without my Savior's help!"  As I was thinking about this tonight, I was just thinking about how I don't think I would be able to get through this life if I didn't have some one who I could turn to any time, day or night who knows EXACTLY how I'm feeling.  Last semester was the first time in my life when I truly felt like my savior was right beside me, giving me the strength that I needed to get through the things I was going through and to fulfill all of my obligations.  I have felt his help before but not the way I felt it last semester.  I'm so thankful that I established the habit of writing in my journal every day, a long time ago because I needed this reminder tonight, that my Heavenly Father and Savior are ever so mindful of me and truly want what is best for me!