Callings...

I have been in Rexburg for about a month now....

I've been to my ward 4 times total...

I have three callings.

Almost 1 per week! AHHH!!!

My first calling is just a given, everyone has it, a Visiting Teacher. Although I have not had the opportunity to visit my girls, I am so grateful for the opportunity to grow closer to my Visiting Teachees and my companion, who just happens to be my roommate Meagan! :)

The next calling is an FHE Mom. Every ward I've been in I've had a Family Home Evening calling...so I knew this one was coming. I have a great family and I am, once again, very grateful for this calling.

Now, after the FHE calling came I thought I was safe. I thought I had it made with my typical "mom" calling. Boy was I wrong. I got the call last Saturday night to come meet with the Bishop the next morning before church. I am officially a Relief Society Instructor. SCARY! I have the great priviledge of teaching the sisters in my ward from the different General Conferece talks.

I taught for the first time today...I was terrified...but it went really really well. The lesson this week was taken from President Uchtdorf's talk entitled "The Love of God". If you do not remember it from October, I would highly recommend reading or listening to it again. It has blessed mine and I guarantee it will bless yours.

Oh how grateful I am for this chance to strengthen my testimony not only through the words of our Prophets, but through the other girls in the Relief Society!

"We Are Family..."

Once upon a time two people fell in love and became a family of 2....Then 23 years later they had created this...Which made them a family of 8...
"I've got all my sisters and me!"
Then the oldest found her one true love and made them a family of 9...
And daughter #2 did the same....and THEY started a family of their own
Making them a family of 11...

And they are still as in love as ever...if not more...

"H BUP TUCANA" (I didn't know what else to put right here)...
And they all lived happily every after!

I love my family more than anything!!!

Thank you Brooke Mack!!!

There's No Place Like Home...

No. I'm not homesick.
No. I'm not ill, dreaming of the Land of Oz.

No. The Wicked Witch of the West did not kidnap me.
No. There is no Yellow Brick Road in Rexburg.

Yes. I went home to Boise this weekend.

Yes. It was a last minute decision on Saturday night.

Yes. It was a surprise.

Yes. We left at 11:22pm and arrived in Boise at 4am.

Yes. It is one of the best decision I've ever made.
Yes. I love college.

Although I was not exactly playing the part of Dorothy this weekend, I did have my three trusty helpers with me. My two roommates Holli and Meagan and our FHE brother Jake, who was my sidekick in making this trip happen. I'm so grateful. I love Boise and like I said, there's no place like home.

Approximately 11:14pm Saturday January, 16th, 2010... BOISE, ID here we come!!!

Holli and Meagan first timers at MERRITT'S!!!!

Boise Captiol Building

Posing with the statues in Downtown Boise!

All of us heading back to the 'Burg

Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us unexpectedly attack your house! We had so much fun!

Lauren=Employed!!!

That's right. I got a job today. I am officially a BYU-I Testing Center employee. And the best part? I GET TO WORK WITH MY ROOMMATE!!!! Best. Day. Ever!

Update from The 'Burg

I love it here!!!

I love my roommates, I've made a few new friends, we have really great FHE brothers, and I believe it or not LOVE my classes! I get to dance again. Oh how I've missed early morning dancing for the past 2 1/2 years. I even get to have my dear friend Alissa Williams in class with me. Just like old times! I have seen lots of people that I know and have made some sort of connection with almost anyone I meet, whether they've served a mission with one of my friends or I knew them when I was 4 years old and we've reconnected (true story). Yesterday I was able to got to the Rexburg Temple. A-MA-ZING!!!!! I hope to go once a week! What a great blessing it is to have a temple so close! I love it! Until next time, here are a few pictures!

The roommates (L-R) Keeta, JeeHye, Lauren, Meagan...we have a 5th roommate Holli, but no pictures with her yet! Soon though!

Spaghetti Night with our new friends Erika, Erica, Ariel and Kaila!

Of course Keeta and I watched the Fiesta Bowl and of course we wore our Bosie State T-Shirts the first day of school. =D GO BRONCOS!!!

I love to see the Temple, I get to go there all the time!!! I'm so grateful.

Watch Out...

Here I come!!!!!

Intermountain Orthopaedics, how may I direct thy call?

A few months ago I said I would tell you all about my new job…well here it is...

I have been working at Intermountain Orthopaedic since August 21^st of this year. Most likely anyone that is reading this already knows my family history with IO, but I’ll give it to you anyway. Reagan started the trend and worked as the switchboard operator for the summer and Christmas Break of 2006, then handed the torch to Taylor who worked there for 6 months (Jan-June) while she was engaged and newly married. She then handed to torch to Carisa (not directly, but almost) Renberg who controlled that switchboard for a good 2 years (and some months)…she’s awesome. Carisa now works downstairs in Rheumatology Front Office! And I am working just down the hall from her! I will admit, I do feel a tiny bit out of place for not knowing how to run switchboard, but what can ya do?

I started out as a temp. working at the Pioneer Plaza clinic. I was hired right as they were switching to a new computer system so I felt a little less frantic about learning a new job because everyone was learning at the same time. What a blessing! After about 2 weeks of at Pioneer the shifts changed…I was working 3 12 hour days a week. Let me tell you, it was nice having 4 days off, but those 6:45am-6:45pm days were KILLER!!! But about 1 week before my 90 day temporary period was up the shifts were changed back to normal 8am-5pm/5 days a week. Thank goodness! And when that changed I was asked to move from Pioneer to the Elk’s Rehab Hospital location. I won’t lie, I was way bummed to be leaving the ladies I worked with, but I also was very happy to get to be in the same place as Carisa. On November 23^rd I was hired on as an official IO employee meaning, my pay raised, I could receive benefits AND I got to punch the clock!!! =) Life is good.

I love my job!!!

But I’m leaving in less than 2 weeks...

The story behind the title of this post...

When working the switchboard you answer "Intermountain Orthopaedics, how may I direct your call?" but when someone (Taylor) is reading church literature in her down time it comes out "Intermountain Orthopaedics, how my I direct thy call?"...Carisa is guilty of this one as well. =D