What a weekend!

Friday night we had our basketball game (save you the suspense we lost) I didn't do so well and I didn't play hard. Next week will be better, but I was just off on Friday, not quite sure why. After the game I came home and had some friends over to play games. I stayed up pretty late talking to friends but figured I would be fine because I could sleep in on Saturday.

I woke up early Saturday with a phone call from my sister saying that one of the puppies died. It had gotten an infection and passed away early Saturday morning. It was very sad.

Saturday was also my mom's birthday and my sister and brother-in-law were in town. So all of us went bowling, and I think it helped Kathryn to get her mind off of the puppy.

This is Jacob and I. I bowled my second turn like this and ending up getting a spare...turns out the kids seems to know what he's doing.

I am the first 'J' and as you can see I'm losing. Even the kids beat me, granted they had bumpers. But I had fun and that's what mattered.
Due to a remark that my mom made on the way to bowling we decided that her cake should resemble that. "Go Steelers", don't worry, we wrote it on there and it was on purpose, the bakery didn't mess up that badly.

Saturday night I went to hang out with Natalie, Kelli, and Amber. Mikey came too, and he should have since watching Kung Fu Panda was his idea. A few other people showed up too, Isaac, Jesse, Sarah, Adam, and Orin. It was hilarious because Mikey compared people to the characters in the movie and soon we were all picking out which characters we were. I was first assigned the snake and then it was finally decided that I was the crane. It made the movie so much more interesting (Its interesting as is but it was even better) because everyone was like, "Look! Did you see what I just did!?" Yeah...we're weird.

I ended up staying at Natalie's talking to her and Kelli until 4:00 am. I don't remember much of what I said, but I remember a stuffed animal (a moose) and his name was Roberto, and I spoke for him, an awful lot.

I came home and got to bed around 5 (again, thinking I could sleep in) and then Chubbers decided that I would wake up at 9. I was unable to fall asleep so I got ready for church and then worked on my lesson for today. It was on Kristen Oak's five single switch points (which are good whether or not your single). I ended up going to church early and read over my lesson there, well, started to read over my lesson. Then one of the sisters came in and I put the lesson away and let her vent about some things. Then we went into the chapel. I sat down and reached for my lesson to read it before church. But it wasn't in my bag, it wasn't in my purse, notebook, scriptures, pockets...nowhere. Though I had already prayed before hand just to have the spirit with my while I taught I was praying now that I could pull this off without my lesson. Luckily I had the book I wrote the lesson from and I remembered a lot of the quotes, but I also decided that I needed to pay attention in Sacrament and Sunday School.

So Relief Society came and I was nervous, but they set apart the new Relief Society Presidency (more on that in a moment) and then we had annoucements. Then I gave my lesson (starting with the story of how I lost my lesson). Kelli had suggested that my lesson was so good it was translated, so I let everyone know that. Amazingly I remembered most everything I wanted to say, I had a few snags when I forgot what I wanted to ask but other than that I felt it went smoothly. There was one time when I asked a question and this girl, Brianna answered it with the exact answer I was looking for and I said, "Did you find my lesson?" It was just perfect! I went over on time, but I don't regret it, it was my last time teaching (Oddly going to miss teaching too).

So...you already put it together but I was released from my calling. For those of you who don't know I was the first counselor in our Relief Society (Enrichment). A year ago I was the second counselor (Education), so I've been in this calling for two years now. When the bishop told me I have to admit that I was really sad. As much as I hadn't wanted this calling, I hated the idea of the calling at first, thinking that there was no way I was qualified to be a leader and an example in that ward. I didn't even go to Relief Society before this calling was originally extended to me. I didn't go to Enrichment after that until I was called as the Enrichment counselor. The Lord has truly known me, and called me to do the things that I needed to do, that I needed to learn and grow in. And now, he's called someone else who needs it as much as I did.

It's amazing to me, how far I have come in the last two years. What kind of person I have changed in to while on this veritable roller coaster on personal growth and achievement! I have sunk to the bottom but I have also soared to the top. I don't think I would be the person I am at this point in my life without this calling. I wouldn't know what it feels like to have a genuine love for strangers (the sisters in the Relief Society that I didn't even know their names), I wouldn't appreciate the hard work that goes into Enrichment, I would understand the inspiration that goes into organizing Relief Society. I'm eternally grateful for this calling, for the chance that I had to serve in that capacity.

After Relief Society I stayed after for Break the Fast. Natalie and Kelli brought Roberto and I continued to give him a voice...and possibly chase away any chance of potential suitor! But I had a good time, and I hope to see Roberto again soon.