Thursday, April 24, 2014

"its where they have everything you need to be young and reckless."

That's right. VEGAS. In just under an hour, I'm headed out to Vegas for a long-weekend getaway with Bestie Jess. Kind of for my birthday, I suppose. My last few days of being a "teenager" will be spent in Sin City. Everyone has been asking if I'm turning 21. Because, Vegas. But, alas, I am not. Only 20. We're going because it will be nice to have a break from Orem and all things that reside here for a few days. To get away and to not think about all those things.

Jess planned a surprise for me, and I got it out of her. I hate waiting to know what people are surprising me with. And I also hate it when people sing Happy Birthday to me. And guys, I am so freaking excited. We're going to Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur and we are sitting in the front, and we're cheering for Norway and they are going to be jousting. JOUSTING. Can we say real life "A Knight's Tale", anyone? And once I know the surprise, I can be so excited for it! And I prefer being excited to being all, "Ugh, but what are they going to do to me? What if I don't like it? Uuuugh." Haha. I'm a little weird guy, but that's fine.

I'm really stoked to go and be able to come and go whenever I want to and not to have to worry about keeping people up and we can sleep whenever we want and do whatever we want. And just, have ALL the fun! It will be my first trip without family, or chaperones, and I'm nervous and excited and a tiny bit scared, but that's okay. Because hey, I'm a goin' on an ADVENTURE!!!!! With my best friend! And I just feel so good about that. Because, adventures are good for you.

So anyway, probably the next time I write, I'll be not a teenager and I'll have finally been to Vegas (this will be my first time being there!) and I'll have sat in a really big shark tunnel (we're going to Mandalay Bay). And I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Even though I'm pretty sure no one reads this anymore... Oops.

Cheers!
     Reille K. :)

Sunday, April 20, 2014

when you get a text before 7 am...

I wrote this last week, but couldn't publish it until I was officially released...

I planned a really super cool Easter lesson. With video clips and greatness. Thinking that this is for sure going to be either my last lesson as a Relief Society instructor or one of the last. 

A member of the bishopric texted me the morning of my lesson and asked to meet with me before church. Like, right before church. I saw it coming. I knew that he was going to at least release me. If not give me another calling to replace the old.

He did. 

Release me. 

And I got a new calling. 

I was happy, but there was a sadness there that I wasn't expecting. One that didn't come until the moment I ended my lesson. My lesson with the video clips that would NOT work because the wifi signal in the RS  room was rubbish. The lesson that I kind of had to just wing. My last lesson. Ironically, it landed on Easter, which, was actually really nice. 

Afterwards, there were a few people that told me they think the videos wouldn't work for a reason. And I'm sure they're correct. Because last week, the teacher had no issues with the wifi, so I though for sure I would be fine. I think I was given this last opportunity to really share my testimony of the Savior, because that's all I had to fall back on, in terms of a lesson. I didnt even cover the half of my testimony of Him, but I'm glad I shared the small portion that I did. 

He knows me better than anyone else. He knows what I struggle with. He knows the exact people to send into my life to help me and bless me in ways I never knew I needed or wanted. He knows the deepest fears of my heart. He knows about the bad days, as well as the good. He knew that this calling, of being a RS instructor would scare me to death, but would help me grow a LOT. More than ever expected, in ways I never expected. He knew that it would help me realize just how much I DO know about the gospel, where I never thought I knew all that much. He knew I would fall short in this mortal life, and he sent a Savior to help me when I did. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to teach this past year. As much as I disliked it at times, it has truly made me better. 

I'm going to miss it. But I'm also excited for the new challenges that are coming my way. 

Cheers!
     Reille K.

Friday, April 11, 2014

the "fins" series.

Once upon a blue moon, I used to review books on here. And that was all I did. And that is also what got me into the idea that I enjoyed writing and that I was pretty good at it. I did that for an entire summer, the one that I convinced myself to ONLY read "Classics". Such as: Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice (I think)... I don't remember any of the other ones. They were a little boring to me and they all had basically the same plot line and all run together anyway... Woops.

Anyway... I posted on Instagram the other day my library haul, and someone wanted to know how a few of the books were, therefore, blogpost. :)



 
The "Fins" series, as it has been so lovingly christened. There's also a novella (I assume) called "Pretty in Pearls" that I haven't read, but might. We'll see. The series is written by a woman who used to be a swimmer and always wished to be a mermaid. (I mean, what girl HASN'T wished to be a mermaid at one point? I sure have! ... I still do sometimes.) I had read the first two books in high school (and maybe even the third) and totally forgotten until I was a little bit into the books. But, as I am the QUEEN of re-reading, I didn't mind reading again. Because, well, mermaids!
 
I mean, it gets a little cheesy and all that, but let's be real, we love the cheese-factor. It's about an *almost* 18 year old mermaid princess who lives on land and goes to high school. She's half-human but her mother (her human half) died like... when she was really little? The first book is about her falling for the boy, but the second and third books get a little bit less superficial and go more into the princess business and she has to stop wars against the humans because we are ruining the oceans. (Kind of true... oops.)

Personally, I really enjoyed them. I read the first two books in one day... ha! And the third book the next day. But, I also read reals fast. I thought the imagery was fantastic, and the love story was not super unrealistic. She, Lily, is magically bonded to the guy (no spoilers, just in case) and she still isn't sure if she Loves him, so she makes her dad, the king and the only one with the power to break the bond, sever the bond even though she ends up Loving the guy. It all works out in the end though, don't worry! It was refreshing, if you ask me.

Anyway, I would recommend them. Let me know if you read them and we can talk about them! Like a book club! ;)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

no better place.



This place though. It is my absolute favorite, and I can't think of a better way to spend my Wednesday mornings than being here and doing work for people who have (usually) been waiting for over 100 years! I always open my eyes when I'm doing baptisms so I can see where and when my ladies were alive. And so I can look at their names and think of them more clearly.

The people at the temple know who I am. I'm a regular. And that is really cool. I have ALWAYS loved the temple. It was one of the first things I ever had a real testimony about. And when I wasn't sure about anything else, I was always sure of the temple. And if I knew that what happened in there was real and true and wonderful, then the rest of it HAD to be true too, right? RIGHT. The temple has always gotten me through. And I'm really bummed that I don't get to watch Conference this weekend as its happening, but hey, I still got to go to the temple this week. And hey, that's what the internet is for, right? So I can read, watch, or listen to the talks later. And try not to fall asleep all the time like I did when I did that in October. Their voices are just so soothing and wonderful, wouldn't you agree?

The only time I feel real peace, is at the temple. And I CRAVE it. I just can't find it anywhere else. I feel completely content when I am in the temple and I don't think of anything except the people that I am doing work for, and the temple workers who are standing right in front of me. Because guys, I just love them! They are so cute and great! And it is AWESOME. Because I am constantly overthinking everything and my thoughts are going a million miles a second and when I'm in the temple, my brain slows down and I get a break from my whirring thoughts. And I feel only positive emotions and it lifts me up. And it's the best.

I can barely put into words how much I love the temple. Because I don't think there is any combination of words that can do it justice. Not really.

Cheers,
     Reille K.