Things Change

There are lots of things that are on my mind lately, and I seem to be doing a terrible job at keeping you at least a little up-to-date in my life.

I had plans. I was going to come back and go back to my old job until I moved to Logan and went to USU in the fall. And there were other plans, too, but I won't bore you. Needless to say, things change.

I wasn't able to go back to my old job because they were overstaffed. And I needed a job bad. Return missionaries are super poor; more so than college students sometimes. I didn't even have gas money to get around-- I had to keep getting money from my parents. But after being home for five weeks, I finally got a job. Then my schedule was filled and I needed time to find an apartment.

I finally found the time to get up to Logan to get an apartment. The stress of getting an apartment was almost overwhelming because I didn't have the money. But I got up to Logan, and I was excited to be back. I saw USU campus and couldn't help but be happy. And when I saw the art building I almost felt a leap of nervous excitement.

But then things kind of fell apart. I went up for a specific apartment, and it got sold earlier that day. Granted, I didn't go well-prepared in case this happened, but it felt like everything went down the toilet at that point. I just didn't (and still don't) have the money for even a deposit, let alone a semester's rent. My mom tried to find other apartments, but I was in a terribly sour mood and after searching through even more classifieds, I just didn't want to try anymore. I left Logan the next day, apartmentless and more stressed than before.

That night I had the thought cross my mind to not go back to school in the fall. I mean, I didn't really have the financial means to return to school, and I just barely started a job that needed me because they're so short-staffed. My first reaction to this thought was anger. I was angry because I just wanted to go to school. I love learning. I love the college life. I love everything about it.

The next few days consisted of me struggling to figure my situation out. I prayed and studied my scriptures, weighed my options, and searched for direction. I finally made up my mind that I wasn't going back to school. The decision wasn't easy; I mean, at the rate that I'm going in school, I'm going to graduate when I'm 27-28. In art.

Aye yaye yaye.

However, Heavenly Father has better plans than we do. His plans are perfect, so when I trusted that I really wasn't supposed to go to school right away, I had a lot more hope. And not going to school provided me time to save up money and buy a nice camera all on my own-- something I've desperately wanted to accomplish since I was 14.

There was a flip side: I would have to live at home to save up for rent and a camera. I don't like living at home. This is the fourth time I've had to move back home after being out on my own. For whatever reason, I always feel like my growth is stunted when I'm living at home. And with my new hours at work, I pretty much lost my social life.

Could I really do that for a whole year? I doubted it.

Then on Sunday I was doing some menial chore I can't remember and pondering. The thought that crossed my mind was something I hadn't considered: You could move to Logan spring semester and work. It was the first time in two weeks that I wasn't confused about my situation. And it felt so good.

Now I'm excited. I totally wish I could move to Logan right now, but as soon as I save up, I'm going for it.

Things change. But always for the better.

Five Years.

Guess what? It's my blog's

Five Year Anniversary!


Also, it's Bastille day.
Normally I wouldn't mention Bastille day, but with my new found deep love for the band Bastille, I just wanted to share some things that are completely irrelevant to Bastille day:

Just look at this guy (Dan Smith)!
How can you not love him??

There are tons more songs, so you should just go to YouTube and watch them all (I recommend Icarus, Bad Blood, Pompeii, and Flaws).


Anyway, back to the anniversary deal. It's funny that I've kept up my blog for five years because it originally started out as an assignment for class. I had to go to a fiddle group and write about my weekly experience on a blog. Then when I didn't need to do that anymore I decided to scrap it and start over. And look at the mess I've made since...

I was looking on my computer for a picture of me since I've gotten home, but I actually don't have any. So, looks like you're gonna have to deal with no more pictures for another day.


Good news!

I got a job! It's at a place in Provo that works with people with disabilities. It's definitely a job field I've never come close to crossing paths with, so it will be interesting working there. I had training today and there was just so much to learn. Good thing I've got another couple days of training.

Also, I'm super tired right now because I couldn't sleep last night. You see, my parent's house doesn't have A/C-- they have a swamp cooler. I love swamp coolers, but ours is only upstairs. Normally living in the basement is nice and cool, but since the weather's been around 90-100 the past couple weeks, it just makes everything hot. At least we don't have humidity-- that's the real killer. Anyway, my room is like a roasting box all the time now.


So, question (pregunta)...

In all my years of blogging, what have been some of your favorite moments?


That is all.

I'm Back.

Hello.

Do people use blogs still, or is everyone on that blasted Instagram?

This is my first post since I've gotten home from my mission. It's been nearly a month since I got home and over a month since I left the mission field. (If you were unaware, I traveled with my mom, grandpa, and sister throughout Pennsylvania, Jersey, upstate NY, and even Boston.)

A lot of people have asked how I've been adjusting back to non-missionary life. My response? "It's easier than I thought it would be." I attribute the ease of adjusting back to the fact that I was stateside and speaking English for the past 18 months. Of course there are certain aspects I didn't jump into right off the bat, for instance, I only watched maybe two 20-minute episodes of t.v. the first week I was back.

I thought I was going to come back to a job, but with my timing and the company being overstaffed, I wasn't able to go back. I did love working there and would've loved to have gone back, but I totally understand. I have been looking for jobs, but I have this internal guilt of getting a job because school starts at the end of August.

Oh yeah, I'm going back up to USU in the fall. I love school.

The money issue could be discussed/panicked about for quite some time, but I'm trying to be positive. Let's just say a return missionary/art student is probably the poorest of the bunch.

To add to the poor situation, my mission camera broke the week before I got home and my big camera is on its last leg. So I'm kind of camera-less. Which is odd. But I trust that when I really need a camera the Lord will help me out on that one.

So what have I been up to?
Hanging out, watching movies/tv, applying for jobs, working out, swimming, sleeping...

So, not much.

I've had my share of downs since I've gotten back. I've had days where I don't want to talk to anyone. Days where I've doubted whether I can be a photographer or not. Days when I want a job, and days when I don't. Days when I don't want to go to the temple and days when I do. Days when I really don't want to read my scriptures. Or even pray. It's up and down, but for the most part, things have been great. And I really do mean that. I've just had to stick to the things I learned over the past 18 months (and longer) and to keep going.

So, really, I'm back. And I'm doing great.

Also, I'm sunburned.

The End.

"And I, [Sister Singleton], saw that I must soon go down to my grave; ... And I make an end of my writing upon these plates, which writing has been small; and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu." (Jacob 7:27)

Although the end of my mission is very bittersweet, I am so grateful for this life-changing opportunity. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the head of this Church, and that he is our Savior. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and know us personally. Miracles are real, and we can expect them every day. I know that the Book of Mormon has helped to bring me to a knowledge of this truth. I know that god has called a prophet, Thomas S. Monson and that he leads this church through revelation from God.

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."  (Moroni 10:32)

In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See you on the other side.

Deepest love,
Sister Sarah Singleton

ZoCo & Roselie and Octavia's Baptism!

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK IT'S RIDICULOUS.

Looks like my last couple weeks have been keeping me crazy busy. On Wednesday I had my very last Zone Conference. It's still kind of weird to think about, and I definitely haven't been able to wrap my head around it. But it was an amazing Zone Conference! We had to travel up to Nazareth, which was farther than we thought. We were going to meet up with some other sisters early to practice a musical number. Sister Suckow and I left plenty early (or so we thought), but the traffic was so terrible. It took us over an hour and a half to drive and we showed up at 8:30 and rushed to practice it a few times before Zone Conference started.

But Zone Conference was amazing. Elder and Sister Dunn (aka Doctor Dunn and Sister Dunn) came and spoke to us. They are the doctors over 14 missions. Let me repeat: 14 MISSIONS. That's a lot of missionaries and their health to deal with. But they spoke about the body and the spirit, and how our physical health and spiritual health always go hand-in-hand. It was really amazing hearing two medical professional talk about how if your spiritual health is bad, then it directly effects your body. I loved it! There was a lot of other things we learned, but I can't remember everything off the top of my head.

The thing with Zone Conference is this-- they always have missionaries who are leaving soon give their departing testimony. The whole Zone Conference I knew it was coming, and I kept getting waves of realization that I was going home. I would get emotional all of a sudden and then it would go away (and no, it wasn't the usual emotions that women deal with...). But they called me up to bear my testimony, and I was the only one in that group of missionaries leaving. I didn't cry, no, but I was very emotional. There were so many missionaries in the room who I served around that I absolutely love, and it was hard to imagine saying goodbye to them. But I'm grateful I was able to see them again and to have the opportunity to bear my testimony about the gospel. My mission truly has changed my life, and it will continue to change my life. Never have I felt so happy and never have I had more purpose in life. The Lord is hastening His work and it will "go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." (The Standard of Truth, Joseph Smith Jr.) And I've been able to be a part of that great work. I'm so excited for the day when the Lord will look at His Kingdom and say, "The work is done." And I want to say that I had a part in that.

Another great thing that happened was that ROSELIE AND OCTAVIA WERE BAPTIZED!!! We had a hectic 24 hours before the baptism. I got in the shower on Friday night and when I got out, Sister Suckow informed me that a lot was going wrong at that moment. Roselie went up to New York for a doctor's appointment and hadn't gotten home yet. She was supposed to be home at 4:30 to pick up her daughter, but it was nearly 10:00 and she wasn't home, nor was she answering her phone. Octavia was panicking and we were worried, too. Sister Suckow said a prayer and called Roselie again, and she answered! We have no idea what was going on, but she was still on a bus from New York. We arranged for a member to pick her up instead of a taxi. Then on Saturday morning Roselie said that her back was hurting and she didn't want to go anywhere. Both Sister Suckow and I looked at each other and were like, "We want to punch Satan in the face!" We talked to Roselie for a bit and she came to the conclusion that she really did need to be baptized that day. After that, things went smoothly.

The baptism was amazing. So many people came to support, and the Spirit was really strong there. The best moment was when Rhett, who just barely turned sixteen and was ordained a priest (giving him the power to baptize), went into the font to baptize Octavia. As he was saying the baptismal prayer, he was so overwhelmed by the Spirit that he started crying. And after he baptized her, she came up and gave him a huge hug. It was so touching! And Roselie came up out of the water and we gave her a huge hug. She said to us, "Thank you for the push-- I needed it." It was a great day. So awesome!  And the best part? It was Octavia's birthday!

Both Roselie and Octavia were confirmed on Mother's Day, and it was beautiful. The ward loves them and are so excited for the newest members of the Reading 1st ward.



And as for Mother's Day, it was great. But I want to share a story that I shared on my mission Facebook yesterday:

I was living in Logan, Utah going to school at USU. I had a particularly terrible day at school and I came home, crying. So what did I do? I called my mom. She patiently listened to me pretty much cry into the phone for 20 minutes. Then she asked a question that changed everything. "Sarah, if you didn't have to worry about all of these things, what would you most want to do with your life?"

And it hit me-- immediately. Before I consciously knew I was speaking, I heard the words come out of my mouth: "I want to go on a mission."

That moment changed my life. It was mom who was inspired to ask me that question and because of that I've had the most remarkable 18 months of my life. Thank you, mom, for your righteous love and example.


This story is so true. Without my mom, I wouldn't be where I am (literally and spiritually) today. I know she's not perfect. She may be a little crazy and off the wall at times, but I love her and I would never have wanted any other mom. I love you, mom.

Love,
Sister Singleton

Who You Gonna Call? Cat Chasers!

Hello,

I realize that a lot of the time I talk about cats. I just can't help it. But I promise I have an excellent story this week.

Like I mentioned last week, we are cat sitting for our Relief Society President for a couple weeks. Well, I was in the garage feeding the cats and Sister Suckow was on the phone in the front room. She opened up the door to the garage and at the same time I yelled "NO!!!" one of the cats dashed inside. The next 40 minutes were a hot mess. We tried to coax the cat out from under the bed, but it just growled and hissed at us until it eventually ran upstairs. I then had to poke at the poor thing until it ran back downstairs. We managed to corner the cat, but it once again got out of our grasp! Sister Suckow and I were running around the whole house, yelling "You go this way!" or "IT'S OVER THERE!!! GET IT!!!" The furious, fuming feline was eventually trapped in a laundry basket and put back out in the garage. I was so scared that the cat would scratch my face off... But we're back on good terms with the cat now.

This week we also had Zone Training, which was my last. And it was a phenomenal Zone Training, too. The Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and the Assistants all gave training, and it was very uplifting. I think one of my favorite quotes was from Sister Bradshaw (not verbatim, but I'll paraphrase):

Just because the end result isn't what you thought it would be doesn't mean that the Lord doesn't accept your work.

I thought a lot about that, especially as I'm coming to the end of my service for the Lord. But it's true! If you aren't where you think you should or are what you think you should be, it's okay. As long as you're striving to be faithful and follow what the Lord wants, then that's what matters. And the vision He has for each of us is much better than any vision we could set for ourselves. Sure, I imagined my self much different at the end of my mission than I actually am right now. However, this is what the Lord expected and envisioned from me, and that's the best for me.

The rest of the week we ended up doing a lot of different service things. We helped with the ward welfare garden again, a less active sister with stuff around her house, and then did a community clean up project in which we picked up a lot of trash. The weather out here has been splendid! Oh, I love spring and summer.

The best part of the week, however, is when Roselie and Octavia had their baptismal interview and they are set to be baptized this week! Oh, I am so excited for them! They are both SO ready, and it's been so much fun teaching them. I love them so much!

Love,
Sister Singleton