Family Ward to Single's Ward!!

Oh boy! So as of this last Sunday I was officially fellowshipped into my new ward. A single's ward!! It's been a little over a year since I was in a single's ward because I moved back home frome EAC last summer. I must admit that I was a bit leery about going back. I have loved being in my family ward! I had two callings while I was there: Junior Primar Pianist, and Laurel Advisor. Oh my goodness, let me tell ya I just loved my callings!! Those little kids were absolutely adorable! It was fun to see their minds going a hundred miles an hour (and their mouths going about that fast too) during sharing and singing time. And that the answer to every question was "Jesus!" no matter what we were talking about. What cute kids! I had fun with them! The calling that was closest to my heart though was being with my laurels! They are all so wonderful and doing what they know they should. I had four of them and one of them was actually not a member when I was first put in. She had been coming to church since she was 13 and her parents finally gave their consent for her to be baptized. So she was baptized in January and she has grown leaps and bounds since then! She was just put into the Laurel class presidency and I don't think I've ever seen a girl so nervous and excited for the opportunity. She is wonderful! We had some pretty fun and crazy times that year I was their leader!

*Learning to make pies
*Singing Christmas carols on a hayride (We were frozen!!)
*Writing out tons of signs for Youth Conference
*Seeing the Reflections of Christ display at the Visitor's Center
*Going to Kaley's baptism
*Hangin out at my house for a pizza and movie night (Pride and Prejudice rocks!)
*Going to a homeless facility and playing with the little kids
*Girl Talk! (My girls were hilarious! They always wanted my love life update! Umm...I don't think there was much to tell ever but they would just about die at every little happening with a boy in my life! Funny funny girls!)
*Asphalt bowling
*Gingerbread Houses with our hands tied together
*American Idol party!! (One of my girls went to EFY with David Archuleta!)
*Graduation dinner for Kelly
*Lessons- where some of the most spiritual experiences happened in our class and I could see the testimony in each of them growing.

It was an incredible and very humbling experience to be one of their leaders! I feel like I probably learned more from them than I taught, but isn't that what callings are for?

But it finally came time to move on! I went to a single's ward with my cousins, just to check it out, and I fell in love with it! I felt like that was where I needed to be. I didn't want to tel my bishop about it too quickly because I was still kind of debating when i was going to do it, but my mom mentioned it to him adn what do ya know! I had a meeting with the bishop and we decided that it was a good move for me. He told me that I was going to be released from my callings that coming Sunday. I was ok with it...until Sunday hit and then I was a baby! I was so sad to leave my girls! That day was Fast Sunday though and I was able to see one of my Laurelsm the one that was baptized in January, go up to the pulpit and bare her testimony for the first time. It was a neat experience and she just glowed! I was so proud of her and I was just truly grateful for the opportunity I had to be her leader.

So now I am officiall in the single's ward and they've already asked me to speak! WOW! I must say that I am excited abou thte topic! I was asked to speak on the hymns and the role that they played in the pioneers lives and how they can play an important role in our lives as well. I am very excited about this topic! I think that it will be a lot of fun to prepare for. I am weird and actually love to speak, so this will be fun!

I went to my first single's ward activity. FHE!! It was a good time! We played volleyball adn ultimate frisbee and it was a blast! The park we went to had some sprinklers that wet the sand we were playing in and everyone had a lot of fun turning them on while we were playing and getting soaked! There are some really fun people that I am getting to know. I actually just made friends with a girl from Russia. Her name is Victoria. She is not a member of the church but she had talked to the missionaries while in Russia and came here to America to learn more. She is also going to be studying English while she is here for the next 6 months. She is so funny! We really hit it off and she has officially dubbed me her friend! Long and funny story, but she is just great. I believe that she is going to start the discussions soon, and I am so excited for her! She is just full of excitement for the gospel and I can't wait to see how things turn out for her! If anything she is helping me to understand how blessed I am to live in this country. She has opened my eyes to some things and I am grateful for it. Helps me appreciate life just a little bit more.