First Trip.

For my first trip . I came to Provo for Education Week. August 2008.

Love this temple.

My friend Lilly. :)

I'm happier. And I am discovering the sunshine in my soul.




It seems to me when you go through the grieving process, you experience lots of firsts. When my Dad had passed. Me and my mom went through some firsts...first trips, first car crisis...first home repair crisis..etc. I have done well getting through life. Its been difficult. But you just have to take it day by day. I wanted to go somewhere, and not sure where. And then I discovered Education Week. I knew that this is what I needed. I'm still trying to heal, but I know that this will be good. Education week is a week long seminar of different classes and activities put on by BYU. It was such an uplifting experience. It was here that I was awakened. There was a class that I needed to attend, and it was called Coping with the Death of a Loved One. One of the scriptures that was quoted was in 2 Timothy 4:7 "I fought a good fight, I finished my course, and I kept my faith."

As I go through my notes, I recorded alot. One of the instructors called the period in the first couple of years as finding your new normal. I so understood that. One of the things, that I liked was that "Feeling is Healing". You try to pull yourself together in public, in front of your friends, and then you have or at least I have had quiet little breakdowns. Then I would go through the rest of my day. I just felt numb. But something happened after I attended this class. As the class of 100+ rushed the stage to meet the lecturers, I went with Lilly into the empty ballroom in the Wilk. It was there that I finally let it all out. The Spirit was so strong, it felt like I was being held. And I finally felt an overwhelming sense that I was going to be ok. No matter what. Even though I didn't have my parents with me physically, that I wasn't alone.

It was here that I had my first long, hard ,belly laugh. Complete with tears from laughing so hard. I attended a lecture from Barbara Barrington Jones. I remember seeing her at EFY and a stake conference ages ago. Listening to her was just so much fun. Loved her. She showed a clip from Brian Reagan. Look up Brian on Youtube under Brian Reagan Emergency room. Its hilarious! :)

It was here at Education Week, that I took my first steps into finding the joy in my journey. I also discovered my favorite scripture here.

Its in Mosiah 2:41 " And moreover, I would desire that ye consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual: and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."