Well this week was a good week. School wasn't very crazy so it was nice. And I found out that I didn't do too bad on my test. But I really need to ace my next test and do well on the final in order to get a good grade in the class. But yeah basketball was out of town on tues. and wed. so I had those days off. Monday night I went to FHE and we did a video for our group. We are having a contest of sorts. Pretty much the only part that we were in was a group dance portion. It was pretty dang funny. This girl like choreographed this dance number for us. It was quite hilarious! But yeah then tues. I got some homework and stuff done. Then we had basketball games on thurs. night, fri night and sat night. That was fun! The other teams weren't very good so that was nice for us! We pretty much laid it to them most of the games. So it was really busy but it was fun to watch all the games. Yesterday my friends and I went and saw Mamma Mia. The movie was pretty funny but the play is definitely better! So that was fun to do. Well this week is my missionaries' last week. It's kinda sad since I leave on tuesday so I won't get to teach them again after that. I think I'm pretty strict with them. I wouldn't say that I'm hard on them but I definitely expect a lot out of them since I can see their potential and sometimes they aren't living up to it. But they are all doing a great job and are excited to be able to go to the Philippines! I am so excited for them and will miss them all so much. I just really hope that work really hard this last week. This is the Lord's time and they really have a lot to get done before they leave. I know if they left today they would be fine because the Lord will be with them but they still have some things they really need to work on and they know it. So it'll be hard saying goodbye to them. I just hope they work their very best every day! Anyway, enough on that. It's going to be a great week! I love thanksgiving! I'm so excited that Monique (my sister in law) is pregnant too although mom did not say anything to me until just now. Grrrr.....welp I gotta get some things done before I go to bed! See you all on tuesday!!!

Welp this week was busy for sure. Tuesday night we had a basketball game which was awesome! We totally killed them haha! Anyway it was a good brak for the week. Then I was super busy with school and work. I had a test on friday that I was really stressed about. I'm not doing super well in that class so I really needed to get a good grade on the test. But with the basketball game and with the stake service activity that we were planning for that week it was really busy! I tried to take the time to study but things would come up that I needed to do for my calling in order to prepare for saturday. So of course I did that first but tried to study in my spare time and such. Anyway, the test I think went okay. I definitely studied hard so even if I don't do well oh well. At least I tried my best! The stake service activity also went well. We had a pretty good turnout from our ward so I was happy. I had to work that morning but I showed up to clean up and such but I really do have a great council. They helped out a lot and my co-chair pulled through for sure. One big thing that did happen has to do with my future. The other day I talked to my supervisor at work about how long I was going to keep teaching at the MTC and he was saying that I could work until august unless I go to graduate school. Then I could work for up to 3 years. I think he wants me to stay. So that got me thinking. So I talked to Rob, the trainer I work with about grad school and the possibility of working for one year through grad school then doing an assistantship my second year. I told me I really should just apply for grad school and not to try taking a year off. He has talked to me about this before. Anyway, I told him the only thing stopping me is the GRE. I really don't want to have to take the GRE. He told me not to worry about it and just take it! Anyway, so I thought a lot about it and talked to one of my teachers and I think I'm gonna apply for grad school here and just hope that I get in! We'll see! I am a little worried about having to take the GRE within the next couple of months but I'm going to go for it. I still need to talk to the grad school advisor a little about it but he hasn't been in his office. So we'll see. Anyway, that's pretty much how my goals/plans have changed lately. So it was a busy week this week but it was still good! And the basketball game on fri. night was really intense. Today was a good sunday too. So anyway!!! This next week shouldn't be as intense as last week since after the break it'll be time for finals pretty soon! But yay Christmas is coming soon! As soon as thankgiving is over on comes the Christmas music!!

Sorry I didn't have time to write in my blog last week. I told you things have started to get busy with basketball and everything! We have also been planning a stake service project for this saturday and we had a ward service project last week so I've been really busy with my calling and with school, work and basketball. I'll start with the week before last. Pretty much I was just busy with work and such and long basketball practices. We had a stake halloween party so after work I went to Kristin and Carly's and we dressed up and went to the halloween party. It was okay....not super fun or anything. That next day I subbed for one of the other teachers and pretty much worked all day. It was a good day at work though. I seriously have an awesome district. Then on sunday we put together these hygiene kits that we had the ward donate stuff for. It was pretty awesome because we've been able to do a lot of service as a ward! This past week was just pretty busy with school and everything. We had a meeting at work where the guy in charge of the MTC told us that we need to have the missionaries teach us teachers a full lesson. Now that's pretty hard to do with all the things that we need to get done in class. But he does have a point because how can we really get to know there needs if they don't teach us a full lesson. So we've been trying to do that in our classes now. Tuesday night my friend called me crying so after my stake meeting I went and talked to her about things she is dealing with. You'd be surprised how many people having trials and problems here at BYU. I think everyone just seems so happy and act like it so that no one will know. But I really have been trying to make time for other people and try to be aware of things that they are going through. Thursday night we had our first basketball game. It was actually really good. I mean it was really quick and just really fun. Too bad stinkin' Utah beat TCU otherwise my day would have been great! Friday night I studied for a test then sat. morning I went to work then took my test during the football game. Then I finished watching the game and worked on homework and studied the rest of the night. So I've pretty much been a loser and haven't really been hanging out with my friends. I've just been so overwhelmed with everything right now. I mean, I knew this was going to happen. I knew I was going to get busy. I think once I finish this week things will start to get a little better until finals. I just have a couple tests this week and then the thanksgiving break comes. So it'll be nice to get a little break with that.
Well I'm trying to think of some other interesting things that happened this week. I mean everyday at work is great. One awesome thing did happen on saturday. We were in the middle of weekly planning and the district was kinda debating about which goals to set. So the district leader just said let's say a prayer. So we all knelt down and he said a prayer. He prayed for everybody by name too. That was so powerful. It reminded me of when Christ prayed for the people in 3 Nephi 17. After that they came to a conclusion and we moved on. Anyway, that was just a powerful thing. They are all such amazing missionaries and I feel so blessed to have them. One of the sisters is struggling with something and she wrote me a note the other day so I need to talk to her in the morning. Just a couple things Dad with mission prep. Too many missionaries that come to the MTC are just not familiar with Preach My Gospel. They have not read it before they came so the first couple weeks they spend most of their time reading it and trying to get familiar with it. So we always set a goal for them to do that at the beginning and imagine if you only get 3 weeks total in the MTC. That's hard. Also a lot of them aren't familiar with the doctrine of the lessons so that makes things hard as well. They have not ever practiced teaching the doctrine of the lessons so that takes up a lot of time too. Those are all things that I feel they should be familiar doing before they even enter the MTC. Just one other thing. The focus right now of the MTC and missionary work in general is really adapting teaching to meet the needs of the investigator. Too many missionaries teach the same things over and over again when what you teach really should depend on getting to know the investigator and teaching according to what they need. If missionaries did this then they would be able to help way more people. A lot of times they just want to teach and get it over with and don't really consider what the investigator really is struggling with. Everyone is on a spiritual journey and as a missionary it's important to help them in that progress whether it be through faith or just repentance or what nor. Ch.10 talk a lot about this. It would be very beneficial if they practiced and understood this before they entered the MTC. Anyway, that's pretty much what comes to my mind right now. I know our mission prep class in our ward is awesome because we all actually practice these things rather than just listen to the teacher talk, talk, talk. Missionaries need to practice in order to improve. We are the same way as well. John 7:17- We need to do the doctrine in order to know of the doctrine. I think that's the right reference. Anyway there is a lot of action involved in the process. Anyway, I gotta go to class. I'll try to add more later.