I loved the small class sizes and the variety of options available. I loved the Institute program. I enjoyed just being able to go to the lectures and not worry about being tested on the material. I also enjoyed living in the dorms. I lived in Moen hall for 3 years - it was what I needed. The 2nd year I was there, they converted the all-girl dorms into boy and girl dorms. There were girl rooms and guy rooms with a common room in the middle - this was very good for me. Because I had been responsible and made good decisions with the freedom I had: dating, school, guys, etc. this was a great fit for me. There were quite a few return-missionaries in the dorm and it was there that I gained my testimony. The Bishop called me as a Stake Missionary and I laughed. I said, I'm sorry, but I don't know it's true, so how could I teach people about it. He said "Oh" and I got the Stake Missionaries visiting me that year. That was such a great experience for me. I looked up to those missionaries and their lives. That set of sisters took the time to teach me and to care about me. It was a huge turning point in my life. To have someone care. I had TONS of questions - I grew up in the church, but had never internalized it, never made it my own. The return-missionaries in the dorms sat with me Sunday evenings and taught me from their scriptures and from their testimonies in their hearts.
There was one girl in particular: Christine. She had a fire within her - a glow, a conviction, a happiness that I wanted. I would talk to her and found it was the spirit. I knew then that I had found what most people are searching for. It changed my life so profoundly, that I wanted to serve a mission to share with people what changed my life completely - I mean night and day difference. To have peace. To have happiness no matter what is happening to know that God knows me and where I am at.........What a Blessing!
I got my Patriarchal Blessing while attending Utah State - in it it says that God Loves Me, and was aware of me. This was such a hard concept for me to grasp before, with the Spirit that accompanied me the whole day, I knew it was God that gave me that blessing, and my life changed forever.
Is there any wonder Logan is my favorite place?
Last weekend we took a trip to Southern Idaho and Colt took me on a Saturday night date in Logan. I showed him Moen hall - we went into our lounge area and we slid down the banisters. I told him how we would have Sunday morning devotionals - I would play the piano while everyone sang. I showed him the quad where we would play frisbee and the Library where I did so much studying. We walked around campus, and I became a True Aggie! (Kissing on the above "A"). I found out that Colt went to lectures at USU - his parents were going to school there and he would wear his little backpack and go along.
I showed him the plasma donation center where I would give my plasma to get through school. Plasma donation was about an hour process: pump the blood out, separate the plasma from the blood, and pump the rest of the blood back in. I would get paid per time: $20, $30, $20, $40, $20, $30, $20, $40. You could do it twice a week - I found I could do it one week twice, the next week once, any more than that and I would make myself sick. It worked out really good for me because I could do it on my schedule and didn't have to worry about work interfering with classes. I rode the bus everywhere and made it through school eating a big pot of spaghetti or potatoes for the week. Anything you sacrifice for, you love. I absolutely loved my time there. It meant a lot to me that Colt took me to Logan for the evening. Logan is my favorite place in the world with a lot of great memories!
Don't forget "eating oranges" hula-hoops and jump ropes!
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I miss you and USU too!!