Memory of the Week: El Presidente

I've decided to try and be better about updating my blog since it's been a while. The time has come to run through some mission memories and I'm excited.... just embrace it. :)

This is President and Sister Miller at my departing interview. This was a hard day, but a GOOD day. It started out with Sister Wilson and I singing in two different wards, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". The last ward we sang in, Sis. Teresa Craig from another ward came and after we finished she said, "I'll go warm up the car, since your fan fare is going to come." I laughed and said, "Don't worry, no one knows that I'm leaving in this ward, it'll be good." Then our pianist, Marshall McDonald, the EQP, and last speaker opened with, "What an honor it is to have these sisters with us. For those of you who don't know this is Sister Piton's last Sunday in the mission field *audible gasp from congregation* and....wow we couldn't have planned better sisters to be together to sing! They must have an "in" with their mission president." YEAH!

Teresa took us to my departing interview, therefore we were at her house just before we left and I realized that I had a B.O. situation in just one arm. I got it worked out and my interview went quite well. Oh how I absolutely LOVE President and Sister Miller. Was I sent to the Salt Lake South mission? Absolutely. But I know I was sent to Bruce E. Miller, as well.

The entertaining kicker to this story is that...the blazer was my companion, Sister Wilson's. I had the B.O sitch, but I just hung it back up in her closet.... :) I found out (after I left the mission) that she was singing for the entire mission on New Years Eve and was wearing said blazer. "I was on the stand and smelled some B.O., and I freaked thinking it was me. I put my arm up, and slyly went to smell, and about threw up! I looked up to the heavens and thought, 'Darn you, Sister Piton!!! You didn't wash this from your interview! SICK!'" Oh...entertaining.

I am BACK.

I am back from the great Salt Lake! New blogs and stories to come...

Well, it's Official!

I'm done with school! I turned in my last final last night and will officially graduate on Saturday! Lookin' forward to it.

Oh Tucson

Graduation? 16 days away
MTC? 27 days away

My life seems like it's going by SO FAST recently. I haven't even mailed out graduation invitations. A week is plenty of time for people right? :) There are so many things I need to be doing that I'm not. Let me make a list....
1.) Memorize Scriptures
2.) Memorize music for my juries next week....(that's kinda important)
3.) Study for the GRE
4.) Sign up for the GRE? Uh YEAH.
5.) Stop watching T.V.

I like how OVER a year ago I got a sheet of paper from my Bishop that had missionary preparatory steps and one of which was "Watch little to no T.V." Back then I was like, "Done!" And I hardly watched anything. In the last 5 months? I've watched more T.V. than the last three years combined. Good, good.

On the plus side I feel VERY blessed recently! I've just had so many wonderful experiences and some amazing missionary opportunities! I don't think it hit me until writing those days above that I'm leaving....like soon! :D I'm understanding a little more why people keep calling me out of the blue! I love it!

I think my life passing fast and me being so lazy (let's be real I hang with my peeps, watch SVU, and do the bare minimum in school to get an A) is me a little afraid to let go. I KNOW that my future is only going to get better, but my life is going to change from a steady upward climb to Mount Everest. That's definitely exciting, but a little part of me feels like leaving what I have "behind" is bitter sweet. Don't get me wrong...I know I'll be back in no time, but I'll never be the same, and neither will what I "left".

Before I leave on my mission I want to do a few things in good ol' Tucson!
1.) Run a 5k (Not offish, but just my tuchus running)
2.) Go on a hike at sun rise!
3.) Take a few new pictures with my Fam and the Romriell's to make a scripture-box-protector-thing.

I love my Savior and I love my family!

Learned and Reaffirmed

Breanna, Megan and I drove to Utah this past weekend for General Conference. That trip helped me learn a few things and be reminded of others.

1. Breanna's car can go 45 miles with the gas light on.

2. When I'm sick, I am completely worthless as a driver after 1am.

3. Mobile Canyon, Arizona is the smallest town ever.

3.5. Holes is still a fantastic movie. I love Shia!

4. No matter how many years have passed, I can still sing Britney's first two albums.

5. "Boys are always slightly attracted to their friends. I mean think about it, how many of them are like, 'okay, I'm gonna go hang out with my ugly friends now'"

6. Whitney Houston never gets old. Too bad she's a crack head.

7. It snows in Utah...in APRIL!

8. No trip is complete without driving 30 minutes in the wrong direction.

8.5. B: "Who's that singer/actress that died in the plane crash? Is it Ashanti?

It starts with an A."

Me: "Yeah, I think it is! That's right I forgot all about that."

B: "Are you sure?"

Me:" Yeah, it has to be. Nothing new of hers has come out since she died."

ONE HOUR LATER

Megan: "Lindsay texted back...it was Alia"

B: "That's RIGHT! Not Ashanti"

Me: "Yeah, but poor Ashanti!!! She needs to do something with her life, I thought she was dead!!!"

7. One day I hope my husband loves me as much as Elder Scott loved(s) his wife!

8. Elder Holland is SUCH a Power House!

9. Thomas S. Monson is a true Prophet of God!!!!

10. Jesus IS the Christ!!!

I love driving up to Utah for General Conference. It's a little hard to sit in a car for 25 hours in 72 hours, but it's always SOOOOO FUN! I love it.

The Finale

You know those people that you are certain you were meant to meet? The ones that reignite inspiration and excitement! This last year at the U has really been a special one for me, and it all started with History of Musical Theatre. I've never learned or wanted to absorb as much as I did in that class. It made me think in a way that went beyond just theatre and actors, but politics, society, spirituality, careers.... discussions embodied what college should have been the whole time. The keeper of the keys was my professor; she oozes knowledge and can make anyone feel important in this world. We worked together last semester in a play called Power 2K10 and another class that I just loved called Rituals in Performance. This semester I couldn't take any of Christin's classes since they were all graduate level, so we have been doing an Independent Study about women in Vaudeville; a subject very near and dear to my heart. In addition to my research to write a paper I had to write a 10 Minute Play...which I titled, The Finale. I haven't been on stage in a while and it felt....so good! I had a blast and learned a lot about myself in the process. Today we finished our run of the studio series Embodying Power, and I couldn't have askedfor a better closing. Well....the audience could have been more alive, sheesh, it was pulling teeth to get a laugh! It was just such a wonderful experience and I am so grateful that I had my chance at a last finale. "Don't be afraid to fall...be afraid to never jump! Wipe off the blackface..."-Edith Bentley.

Things You Shouldn't Say On A Date

My friend Jason and I went to dinner a few weeks ago to catch up. We haven't been in the same room together in MONTHS! The best part about conversing with that man is after a few minutes the room feels so loosey goosey and anything can be said. An hour into our "date" we realized we were either going to be kicked out of BJ's or....no, we thought we were going to be kicked out. We were there for over two hours, ordered $7 entrees and diet cokes....we would have gotten a pazuki, but our waiter brought the check, clearly telling us to leave. Our conversation out of context, we decided, would be called "Things you shouldn't say on a date"

"So there I was...reading on a train........after a page and a half I wanted to vomit."

"People are gonna think we have Cerebral Palsy if we keep this up."

"I walked into the Lounge Car that was full of windows on the wall and the ceiling...but it was dark and the lights were on so it was like a f******* hall of creepy mirrors."

"Ugh, within a half hour all these little babies popped up...feeding on Cheetos! Their sick little Cheeto hands!"

"Yeah, one was cute. But he went to grab at my new jeans with those crusty little orange fingers, but I couldn't react because the kid was black."

"Have you ever thought about it? Dogs just wanna eat you."

"No, this guy woke up with his dog feeding on his f****** toes. All he has are nubs!!!"

"She woke up with her snake laying next to her in her bed. The Vet told her to get rid of it because he was measuring to see if she'd fit inside of him."

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Are you kidding me?! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I HATE snakes. And dogs! All animals just wanna f****** eat us!"

"I kind of want some Tots...."

"I've already had tots today..."

"Who has tots already?!?!"

In context this was one of the funniest nights of my life.