california;

Well, my boyfriends family decided it would be pretty funny to read my blog out loud a few nights ago, and lemme tell ya, I was embarrassed. Ha! I didn't think his family actually read this, so.....
but I'll give them props, because that was kind of funny, only kind of. haha

But to catch you up on my life...
I've been gone in California for the past week! Exciting right?
My days consisted of the beach, beach, shopping, family, beach, more shopping, food, and sleeping. Yes, it was quite the life! We hung out in Santa Barbara all week, and then made our way over to Santa Maria where we chilled out at Avila Beach! Last summer we stayed at Avila in a hotel that resided on the beach, literally. And we spent the week being beach bums and attending the street parties and shopped. This vacation wasn't as good as the last, but hey, California is California. And the beach is the beach. So i'm not complaining. But the drive was horrendous. Try driving 12 hours with a 2 year old, 4 year old, and 6 year old. My ears were literally bleeding. I'm genuinely glad that drive is over.
The only other hard part about that trip was that I was away from my boy. And granted, we usually do spend a week apart when i'm in Utah, because he goes to a different school and I live a half hour away, but it was SO hard because I was supposed to be with him all day everyday for spring break, and the fact that I couldn't really sucked.....
I missed him everyday, and it showed.
Every little thing I did, I wanted Ben to be there. Whether it was chillin' on the beach, walking the dock, hanging out with cali fam, or just sitting there and relaxing. I wanted him there every second of the day. And the drive home was ridiculous!
I felt like the hours were longer than they should have been, because I knew Ben was going to meet me at my house when I got home:)
And right when I saw him pull up to my house, I ran up to his car and just hugged the heck out of him, and of course gave him a good smooch:) It was so good seeing him:) I honestly hadn't been that happy all week, and I was in freaking California. But I missed him SO much!!!! and just seeing him there and holding him tight again...yeah you can't beat that:)
But he helped my family unload our car, helped me put my sibs to bed, and then we kicked back and watched a movie:) I was SO tired, so it was good just to relax with my baby. My perfect, perfect boy:)
and today we are going to the gym and then who knows what after:) I'm so excited to see him again!! I'm so lucky to call him mine:)

Anyways...
As far as my religion journey goes, it's going well:)
Although, I didn't get to go to any missionary discussions last week, I haven't gone to church for a while because I've had my own family things going on, and I missed general conference because well 1) my cali family would never watch that. and 2) I had no good internet connection in the car so the drive back I was only able to watch like 4 talks:(
I'm in need of a spiritual boost. So i'm definitely scheduling missionary lessons tomorrow and going to church this Sunday with Ben:) and we are going to have scripture study after...YESS!!:) anddd I will be watching sessions of general conference when I am able to:)
Also, I have been studying my scriptures, I did for an hour the other day! It was amazing! I'll share with you some of my findings....
Helaman 5:12
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I used this scripture a lot this weekend actually. Because I had so many people in my family come up to me and ask why on earth I am considering conversion. And that was the devil over and over again trying to tamper with my faith and the spirit I was feeling while I was there. Satan was trying to give me a reason to reconsider my love for the gospel and this journey I am taking, and because I knew that, and because of this scripture, the foundation I have built of this faith and of the gospel was not shaken or destroyed, it was strengthened actually:)

Another cool scripture I found...
D&C 20:37
37 And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who ^ahumblethemselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and ^bcontrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the ^cname of Jesus Christ, having a^ddetermination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their ^eworks that they have received of the ^fSpirit of Christ unto the ^gremission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

Okay, So the night before conference this was the very first verse I read:) I was feeling kind of down actually because I was really bummed I had missed my missionary lessons and wasn't going to be able to watch conference because my mom said absolutely not, so before I started my scripture reading I said a prayer to find comfort in my reading that night and for the spirit to be with me as I read. And I looked from my Preach My Gospel, and looked at the missionary lesson I would have had and picked a random scripture just to read. and D&C 20:37 was the very first scripture I read. And its not irony, or fate, or a coincidence, that was the Lord telling me that I can not be down and not lose faith:) That as long as I stay on the path that I am on and keep on genuinely learning, I will be okay:) And I have asked in my prayers if baptism was right at this time in my life, and I see this as an answer, because when I read it, I can not describe to you the feeling I had. The thought of receiving baptism into His church, fills me with a kind of happiness that i've been without for weeks. As long as I keep these commandments, I will be blessed with the gospel and love my my heavenly father for the rest of my life and beyond.
I do have a testimony of this church, and it was strengthened while I was away from home, I am so very happy to have found this blessing in my life.

And now, I should probably finally get ready for school, and it's freezing cold outside and raining. I hate coming back to reality. No more blue skies, sun bright on me, and the beach:(
but i'm gonna be okay because I'm back with my boy only half hour away, and graduation is next month:) holla!!!!:):):)

P.S. Shout out to my girl Katie Mitchell (my boyfriends sister in law) You did pay for cafe rio! and thank you for being the narrator of my blog a few nights ago to the family:);)
i love you too:)
watch yo back;)