Como un Jefe.

Is anyone else freaking out?  No? Just me?  Well now I know you are all lying.  Because I can't be the only one that is freaking out.  Did I mention that I sometimes get hit by cars?  The good kind, though.  Oh, did I also mention there is a good kind of car to get hit by?  Well, there is.  It's the car that comes out of no where and smashes you flat over.  I guess it's not a real car.. Just realizations.  MASSIVE ones.  Every once in a while I will just be minding my own business and all of the sudden I think, "dang, I don't think they have cheese or bread in Guatemala!" And then it gets real!  (I think they actually do have cheese and bread.... at least I hope so.  If not, I'll be introducing it to them.)

Well now that THAT'S out of the way, I spreckon I oughta tell some fun stories.  The other day... no... it was a couple months ago... any who, I got to do a "dialogue" with some Evangelicals from California!  Crazy right?!  That's what I said!  My blessed roommate, Abby, is on a committee that lets her do fun things like that.. so she invited me to one!  It was four hours long and we had lunch and talked about our religions.  We were supposed to have a pleasant conversation about how our religions were actually a lot alike and clear up any confusion.  That's what we were supposed to do.... we did not...

I really felt bad about it!  In institute only a couple days earlier we had learned that Light and Truth can only be given by revelation when there is the Holy Ghost and a willing heart.  I would draw you a picture but I don't know how to work The Internets like that.  So I was going in there thinking, "we absolutely have at least two of the three things to help them receive revelation.  We have the truth, and I can't imagine why the Holy Ghost wouldn't be there!"  So we all got to talking and almost immediately I realized we only had one of the three things... Light and Truth... They came to convert us (we kind of came to convert them too... but whatere!) they actually thought they were coming to teach us about their "true" church.

It was a very contentious time and I left with a headache.  One guy from BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles) talked for probably three out of the four hours.  They just kept telling us how people will never be able to create worlds and its taking away the glory of God if we think that.  He also said that when we die, we will just sing God's praises and glory Him.  Which, that idea didn't seem horrible, because that's what we will be doing... Except I don't believe we will be sitting around singing to Him. We tried to explain that just like an earthly father has children and those children have children, the father is still the father.  He didn't lose that title or anything that comes along with it.  Heck, that father WANTS his kids to grow up and create just like he did.  Same goes for Heavenly Father.  He finds joy in His creations!  And how awesome will it be to glory Him by creating!?

The BIOLA folks didn't like it one bit.. They also didn't like the three degrees of glory.  Because, "why would someone want to go to the Terrestrial and Telestial kingdoms and not be with God forever?!" Exactly!  We tried to explain that no one actually HAS to go there.  We hope everyone lives worthy enough to go to the Celestial kingdom.  God wouldn't create a plan that where most of His children fail.  He loves us too much for that.

Even though it was stressful, it was good to have that kind of experience.  Not every missionary experience will result in baptism.  We can only hope that we planted a seed in their hearts that will make them want to know more.   I do know the BIOLA group are good people with good hearts.. One girl emailed me the next day apologizing for what they said and that they really do love all of us.

I learned from that experience and it made me more excited and nervous for my mission (I leave in 15 days if anyone's counting...).  Welp, I guess I'll just brush up on my spanish really quickly... ¿Dondé está el baño? Como un jefe.  Adios amigos.  

Old Rabbits

My good friend Celine always says, "it's all comin' back to me now".  Good one Cel, you always know what to say!  It really IS all comin' back to me now!

Well, guess what I realized the other day?!  Above average happenings don't always have to be awkward and/or funny!  According to Urban Dictionary, "An average person is someone who loves Harry Potter, hates Twilight, prefers Google to Yahoo, and enjoys playing with their socks during church! --most of America, average--".  The part I actually found that applies to what I wanted to say today was the "enjoys playing with their socks during church" part.

Actually, we're not even talking about socks... We're talking about church.  Straight up!  My roommate has a blog and it is FANTASTIC!!  She is the one that made me realize that lots of things in life are "above average" not just funny things.  I should have seen this earlier, so stop trying to make me feel better.  I blame myself.  No, no don't bring me cookies to help me cope with the new news.  (Actually, if you want to bring me cookies I would be totally fine with that.  We can have a party and watch Lilo & Stitch.)

So I've been preparing for a mission my whole life, I just didn't know that until a couple months ago.  I think things like that happen a lot, Heavenly Father prepares us for things long before we are affected by them.  He's answering our prayers before we even ask for help!  How amazing is that!?  Don't you just want to hug Him forever?

Well, I've been trying to notice blessings in my life that have come before I even knew I needed them.  For instance, even just being raised in the gospel of Jesus Christ has been such a blessing.  I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a convert, to be able to see exactly what my life would be like without the gospel and what it's like with it.  But honestly, I am so grateful for the blessings I've had this whole time.  I wouldn't give that up for anything.

Growing up where I did has had a HUGE impact on why I am the way I am.  Our Father in Heaven can see everything and can see where we need to be, when we need to be there.  Who knew Garland, Utah would be the place to mold me.  We are in the places we are because we need to be there.  There is something special for each of us to do.

Being in Student Council has really helped me be a little more outgoing with strangers.  I was able to learn how to love people!  It's hard to serve people if you don't love them.  I already love the people in Guatemala and I can't wait to get out there and share the beautiful message of the gospel with them.  It can change their lives!  It has already changed mine so much.

Going to college has been so great.  I didn't want to leave my home, not even a little.  I wanted to stay with my parents for the rest of my days.  Years ago my dad would tell me I could have all the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream I wanted if I would never leave.  Do you realize how tempting that offer was?!  But I knew that if I was going to meet people (something I didn't want to do, I had plenty of friends already, right?!), and learn how to live with other people I had to move out and go to college.

You know what they say, old rabbits CAN learn new tricks.  I'm pretty much an old rabbit.  And those are definitely new tricks.  I have met some pretty amazing people, and made friends that will definitely (hopefully...) last for the rest of forever.

And that my friend, is an above average happening.

Enemies....

Abby and I are slowly starting to learn that we picked horrible horrible enemies.  Our enemies also happen to be our best friends....  You can see the conflict now, can't you!

Well, we really get a kick out of doing funny funny things to them.... Like one time we stole a variety of things... these things...

This is the laser gun we use to creep on the neighbs across the street...

This is a jazzy sweater that Abby kept for a while and wore... Quite a bit...

This is apparently their favorite tie... They always asked for it back.  We finally gave it back a couple days ago.

The love sack. Boom.  Not easy cramming that through a standard size door!













The really fun part was that we put them up for sale on the Facebook!  And people actually wanted to buy them!  It was too good...

And sometimes we take their spoons from the kitchen and hide them in their drawers... :)

We also stole a coveted blanket that everyone calls "The Baby Maker"... Don't worry guys, it's really not as bad as it sounds!  We actually do have wholesome friends/enemies!  They just think they're funny.

A few days ago we broke into their apartment via the unlocked door and rearranged all their furniture...  They've been asking Abby for months to decorate so I don't know why they looked all shocked and disgusted.  We also switched a couple beds... maybe we switched laundry baskets and entire wardrobes?!  So sue us!  Oh, and we managed to mess up all of their ties.  Their color coded ties... OCD?

Does this arrangement look so awful?! I mean, really....

They are still sleeping on the wrong side of the room. :)

#winning

I guess I forgot to mention this one.. We put fish supplies in the popcorn maker.  Oh yeah!












After all of those acts of pure kindness they had the nerve to retaliate.  With alarm clocks... Four alarm clocks... Hidden all over our room.  We found two of them before we went to sleep and thinking we were so so clever we dropped them off at their apartment with a fun note that said, "Nice Try!"  Little did we know, they were more prepared than that.  Some time around 4:00 this morning I heard one alarm and in a state of delusion somehow found it and tried to take the batteries out... ?  Because buttons simply won't do I guess?  Then a while later, who knows what time it was... We heard another!!!  In my night stand!

We thought we had really dooped 'em... but no.  They got us.  They solidly got us.

And now this is sure awkward!  We found even another one... behind the dresser...

We haven't learned our lesson because we've been on Pinterest all day looking up great pranks.  We have some ideas.  Let me tell ya, they are GOLD!  24 karat gold.

Typical Female Drivers

In the last post I said something about how my mother and I are champs and can do impressive things.... well, we can also do some pretty foolish things!

Yesterday we were headed to the middle of nowhere to watch my brother's basketball game but we had to stop along the way to pick up a few things.  When we got out of the store we realized that the car lights had been left on while we were in there... Sweet Aunt Clara only lasts a couple minutes if the lights are left on.  Luckily a sweet couple with a big truck helped jump her and we were on our way again, laughing about how we always kill her and how poor our memories are.

We drove for a year and a half again and when we were about a mile..ish away from the exit we needed to take Aunt Clara just shut off!  Straight up!  Right on the freeway.  That's when we realized we forgot to put gas in her.  We coasted as long as we could and while we were still moving I hopped right out and pushed.  Guys, have you seen me?  As massive as my muscles are, I have a hard time pushing a car up a hill.  It didn't help that my mother and I were both laughing SOO hard!  I think that could have been what took up a lot of my energy...

We traded off and my mom pushed for a while.  My mother is a champ.  She is easily the greatest mom in the world.  But anyway, by this time we were well into the off ramp and a car had pulled over off yonder to help us.  A kind sweet lady, we'll call her Susan (because that's actually what her name is...) stopped to help!  Hey fellas, good news for you!  There is justice in the world!  Susan is from Florida and works with some type of construction company.  Susan is an angel.  Heavenly Father watches out for his children and last night He had Susan come help us.

Susan and my mother went and got gas and I sort of just chilled in the car... for 30 minutes... I started getting worried, I'm not even going to lie!  My mom had just taken off with a stranger!  And I was alone, with a dead car, a dead phone, and a bag of potato chips.

Spoiler alert:  my mom lived, I lived, Susan lived, but Aunt Clara died.

Even after we got the gas in her she wouldn't turn on... can you guess what happened?!  She ran out of battery again!  I think that's a record!  Twice in an hour and a half.








Susan helped jump her and we finally got on our way.  We missed my brother's game ENTIRELY.  But he still won!  And my mom and I had a good time.  I'm really glad we can laugh about things like that instead of getting all sorts of ticked off because everything went wrong.  

NEWS FLASH:  that's life.  Seriously, junk happens!  You can either laugh it off or cry it off.  But crying makes your eyes red and tired and then your nose runs and people awkwardly ask what's wrong and then you break down again just trying to talk about it because that always seems to happen.  Especially if you're in third grade and you get home from your first day at a new school and it was horrible.  Like, the teacher made you redo your assignment 3 times because she's picky and grumpy kind of horrible.  BUT if you laugh, you get a six pack (someday...), live longer, and when you tell the story again later all you do is LAUGH AND LAUGH! :)  

Phat News

I don't know what has to happen to turn "fat" into "phat"... but apparently it happened and that's the kind of news I have for all y'all.  Remember when I said I was planning on going on a mission?  It's ok if you don't, I love having a broken heart.  They're the best!  *sarcasm...*  Well here's my news!!  I GOT CALLED TO GUATEMALA!  Anybody who's anybody already knew that, but it's not official until it makes it onto at least one blog.  That's what they all say, anyway.

I'm beyond excited!  I get to leave May 15 to the Guatemala MTC.  Imma be fluent in Spanish, yo!  Another fun fact:  one of my friends went to the exact mission I've been called to!  So I get an inside scoop before I even leave the country!

Ummm.... That's all the news I have for you... so it's turned into story time from here on out.  Hope that's kosher...


Now now now.... Think back to 100 years ago when this happened.  The guy from that story, well call him Lohan, is basically my neighbor!  He found out that the girl he stole an iPod from lived real close so him and his roommate.... Frankfurt, came to visit!  Creepy?  Just a little.. they have showed up several times since then.  Just thought you guys would like to know the latest update about that whole ordeal.  But that's pretty much it...


Next item of business:  have you ever experienced a winter in Northern Utah?  I'm assuming that's a phat yes.  So you know how butt cold it can get.  And how much snow that accumulates.... a couple weeks ago it was -16°.  -16°.  We're talking frozen nose hairs, people!  Eyeballs freezing open.. Thighs turning into ice even when walking.  This is some sketchy stuff!  It's even more terrible when it gets to be 7° and you think, "wow!  I only need a sweater today!"  And then it hits 25° and everyone starts stripping off layers like there's no tomorrow!  Not even kidding, I walked outside the other day and thought it was ok to wear flip flops.  My excuse?  "Well, it IS February."

Last week I was heading far far away on Judea's plain and I had to stop home to pick up my madre... We had to quickly rearrange the cars in the driveways and she specifically said, "don't put Aunt Clara in that other driveway.  It hasn't been shoveled yet."  Was I listening?  Kind of... Was I listening enough to follow her instructions?  Not a chance.  The last thought that went through my mind as I was headed right into a TON of snow was, "If I can generate just enough speed..."  Well heck!  Not even Aunt Clara who is a champ could make it through that!  I got stuck stuck stuck!  That's when this conversation went down...

Me- "Mom, it's ok, everyone needs to get stuck at least once in a winter."

My mom- "Right now though?  We're in a hurry!"

Me- "Mother, it never happens at a convenient time, silly!"

I still stand behind that one.  If it was convenient, it wouldn't be called, "getting stuck".  It would be called, "parking the car in less than ideal conditions and maybe it can't move right now".

Moral of the story is this:  We grabbed shovels and handled the situation like a boss.  Who says a couple of girls can't handle disasters?!  Together, my mother and I have done some pretty impressive things.  

Last story:  My brothers are way too cute for their own good.  They are so so so sweet (most of the time..).  I had to leave to head back to college last week and they went outside and started pelting Aunt Clara with snowballs saying, "if we pelt her car hard enough, she can't leave!" So we had a snowball fight!  We had another one three days ago and this time they went in with a battle plan... One knocked me over and the other started shoveling on snow.  In  the end, I was straight up buried.  I'm actually still stuck in the snow right now!  It's more like an igloo.  JOKE!  I can't believe you actually thought I was still in the snow!  I would be dead!  Man, sometimes my jokes are just too good..... 

We Be Creepin'

So remember when I said college made me creepy?  Of course you don't!  That was pretty much 7 years ago!  But heck, it's been confirmed.  I AM CREEPY!  Technically, so is my roommate.  But she didn't start out that way!  I've created a monster.

Anywho, we recently acquired some laser guns... (by acquired I mean we stole them... from some friends (hey friends, consider this a shout out to you)) And lately we've been shining them out our window!  Last night there were masses of people walking past after the game so we had some fun shining them on the ground in front of them and watching everyone marvel at the lights like cats.

Tonight on the other hand.... We went to the next level.  We shined them into the apartments across the street.  Turns out they were able to see the lights!  So we had a lot of fun with that!  Like, A LOT of fun.  They kept looking out their windows looking for the creeps that were disturbing them.  They even gave us a good show!  They would stand and hug (we think...) in front of the window, shine a phone outside... wave... the usual.

At first we sincerely worried they were trying to tell us they were calling the cops.  Naturally, we had a battle plan.  We were going to plant the lasers in the apartment they belong to and then run.  Really really fast.  Away.  To Idaho probably.  We gave up on the apartment across the street because they had had enough, right?! Well, wrong.  They apparently didn't.

A couple guys who were up to no good, started makin' trouble in my neighborhood!  ...joke!... But really, a couple guys came walking along and we figured they were just average Joes taking a walk.  So we shined the light in front of them to give 'em a good scare like always.. Only this time they came up to our door and knocked!  Seriously guys, this really happened!  Sara and I busted up the stairs and our other roommate opened the door.. AND SHE LET THEM IN!  Gah!  Scariest moment of our lives.  We had to face up to what we had done.  We also got to meet our neighbors!  But we proved faithful to our old ways and awkwarded them away.

In the end it was both the best and worst day of my life.

Tis The Season

I'm dreaming of an incredibly green Christmas.  Not because I want to, but because it's actually really green outside!  So I figured why not just embrace it.  Anywho, it's story time.  Abby and I went and got a tree!  A real live tree.  It's a beaut.

We even used a Celestial Ball of Glory!  Some people like to use stars or angels.  But we figured, nah, that's so main stream.  Heck, we're young, hip, probably even cool people!  We should set a new trend.  Hence the massive ball.

Naturally, Abby got stuck in all the lights (typical white girl...), she's always doing things like that.  She also runs into plants at stores... we're trying to help her, we really are.  

Now, onto the BIG news.  Abby and I got engaged last night!  Look at us go.  It all happened like this:

After spending a solid night making boats we decided to race them, that's where we were so romantically proposed to, it went a little something like this..

Jeff- "Hey wanna get married?" 

Me- "Sure, how about tomorrow?"

Jeff- "Ok, how does 11 sound?"

Abby- "I have to leave at 9!"

Jeff- "Then 8:45 it is"

Matt- "Let's have a double wedding!"

Abby- "Yeah, ok!"

Cute, huh!  The best part happened when we got back to the apartment and started watching The Fox and The Hound and we found out that our "friends" had gone outside and written on a certain car.... my car....

Awesome right?!  Our night had taken a very weird turn down a road that shall never be traveled down again.  I cleaned her off before I drove home for the holidays to avoid an incredibly awkward arrival.  I can just see it now, friendly ward members saying, "Robyn! I had no idea!  Do you need a toaster?  I have an extra one.  BTDubs, why weren't we invited?", "Robyn, I never thought this day would come!  You've always been so awkward!  Now that you're married I think it's safe to tell you that none of us thought you had a chance.  But, I mean, congratulations!" Or, "geez, that was fast!  I thought you were planning on a mission..." Or even, now this is what I imagined my parents saying, "Umm, Robyn?  Do you have something you want to tell us?"  And in the midst of their interrogations I would try to tell them, "no really, it was such a funny joke!  Hear me out, now, it's totally normal."

This is Aunt Clara now.  She looks a lot more presentable doesn't she!  I was able to explain what happened to my parents without them even freaking out!  Instead my mom laughed the whole time while I was telling the story.  I think she stopped breathing at one point.  My dad stopped breathing too, but he wasn't laughing.  He looked more shocked and then relieved.   

I felt like it was very appropriate to create a wedding announcement while we were at it though.  So there you have it.  Abby and I were almost married this morning (we all accidentally slept in) to people we don't really know much about.  Granted, after all the plans were made, Jeff and I started asking a butt load of questions to each other so we pretty much know all we need to know about a person to marry them.

  

Abby created an announcement of her own.  I think hers might just be more redneck!  And let me tell ya, mine is pretty redneck.   Little did anyone know, Matt is the fish she is holding!  And he's also the big one on the left.  JOKE!  Ha, he's the person.  I got you for a second though!