Good Times.

I love journals. I think they are really valuable and well worth the time and effort however, I am not very good at keeping up with one. I would do it, I really would! If only I wasn't so picky and precise with every single, little detail that I would like to include in my entries. This makes journal writing take FOREVER and I am just lazy.

For awhile, I did keep a journal that I wrote in on occasion when I had a good spiritual experience like for example EFY, girl's camp, trek, patriarchal blessing, etc. and with those entries, I wrote a TON. They went on for pages and pages. And then college happened.

When my first semester began, I just wanted to write everything down because it was all so wonderful and spiritual and memorable! I knew there would be no way to do so because there simply would not be time. So to remember those good times during my first taste of college, I just took lots and lots of pictures and kind of became known for that among my friends. Everyone always makes fun of me or always has to point out how many pictures I have on Facebook...haha. It's alright though because I have visual reminders of those good times :)

My second semester was a little better. I just decided to keep a "journal" on a word document on my laptop. I just simply logged in all of the stuff I did each day, even the small and simple stuff like...woke up late, got ready for the day, went to humanities group meeting, ate cereal...stuff like that. I even mentioned that the rice was really salty when I went to a restaurant! Yeah, that much detail. With recording all of the  actions I did each day, I am able to remember the emotions I felt and picture the exact events in my mind just going through all of those motions. I am really glad I recorded it all and kept up with it all semester writing down things for each day until the very end. That way, I am able to remember all of the good times and the bad, learn from my mistakes and achievements, and remember my college experience.

So, two points to this story.

One: I love journal writing and saving memories. I hope to improve on it and record those good times so that I can share stories of my past with my future family and so on. I have an appreciation and love for journals for that is how we receive knowledge of history and events of the past. Most importantly, it is how we got The Book of Mormon. It is pretty much a compiled journal of various people telling of true events. There are so many things to learn from journals. I'm all about saving memories whether it be through pictures, written text, recorded audio/video, it is all great. I especially love watching home videos. It amazes me that I have the ability to see myself and how I was when I was 2.

Two: The other day, I read through my journal of my second semester and loved reminiscing. I had such an amazing first semester, I had doubts that the second one or any other for that matter, could beat it. I have realized that I grew so much during my second semester. Things went fairly well for me. I was at a point where I was comfortable with college, being on my own, familiar with the campus, and used to the flow of classes. My schedule was AMAZING because I had great teachers, interesting subjects and had large blocks of time between classes. I was the Relief Society President for one of the Relief Societies in my ward so I got to know many of the girls that lived around me. That calling was such a blessing to me because it also helped me stretch out of my comfort zone and become more outgoing. I had many interesting experiences throughout the semester that have helped me realize many things about myself and also that I have wonderful friends around me who are loving, caring, supportive, and encouraging. Despite the lack of sunshine, forever snow, wind chill factor, and the freezing cold, Rexburg was very good to me :) Second semester was a great experience and I am glad to have had those memories and the opportunity to learn from them.

So, second semester turned out to be "something better" than fall semester. Don't get me wrong, I loved fall semester. That is when I met my best friends. But winter semester was definitely a time for "me." I learned a lot about myself and that has really helped me mature to much greater lengths.