July 20, 2011

Who knew!

These past two weeks have been super mind opening for me.

It always seemed so strange to me that Heavenly Father can care about me. That he knows where I'm going. I always knew that was true, but I KNOW that's true now. And here's how it happened ...

Every summer, I go to EFY. It's kinda the best thing that has ever happened to me. You know how Alma the Younger had a super quick conversion to the gospel -- like lightning? I sometimes compare that to my own life. The first time I went to EFY, I was able to feel so much. More than I ever had before, but I still knew that through the tears and the COWs, I was happy! And I determined since that moment that I wanted to be happy forever. ALA LIFE CHANGES!

Three years later, I sign up to go to Cincinnati, OH. This year, I didn't have a chance to go to Provo, because my dad wanted it to be within a five-hundred mile radius of Waynesville. Knowing that I didn't want to go to Columbia (which was only two-hours away! The HORROR!) I decided to go as far away from home as I possibly could. There really wasn't any spiritual prompting that led me to go there, but as I look back on my picking, I think there really was a reason why I, personally, was supposed to be at the Cincinnati EFY.

Before EFY, I really get excited. Like, I can't sleep because I anticipate how the week is going to turn out. This year, I tried to be a little more calm, cool, and collected about the whole ordeal, but I still had some anxiety spasms. During one of these spasms, I decided to write down all of the questions I wanted to have personally answered to me.

What will I do with my life? Is the Book of Mormon truly an ancient record? Does my Heavenly Father love me? What is the atonement exactly and how can I repent so that I can use it in my life?

Some of these questions I already knew, but most of them really worried me. I'm a good girl. I go to church and I have a testimony of the church, so I thought these questions were silly and petty. But when my daddy gave me a priesthood blessing right before we left he said that I had specific questions that would be answered through the experiences I had and the people I met at EFY. Proof Numero Uno that Heavenly Father knows me!


On our way to Santa Claus!
The car ride there was eight and a half hours. It was gruesome, but no one EVER died of boredom! Actually, I loved talking to my mom and my sister. They are two of my BFF's ... for eternity actually. :)

When we got to Xavier, I was feeling REALLY nervous. More than I think I have for any EFY ever. This was the first EFY I had been to without knowing beforehand what to expect. No one on Yahoo! Answers had ever been to Ohio for EFY. No one I knew on FB could tell me the in's and out's of Xavier's campus. Standing in line in the super heat wasn't helping my nerves either.

I met my roomie, Ashley, after we dropped Savannah off at her room. She seemed pretty darn nice, but I was intimidated because she was super outgoing! I only wish I could be half as outgoing as her. We met the girls in my group and it was lovely. I wont bore y'all with the details of every single person I met. Just know they were all lovely, especially my counselor Gena!

Everyone in my company (Direct thy Paths) is SOLID. Not to mention beautiful. We had an AWESOME group, and I am grateful that they were placed in my life. Each one of them made me want to be a better person. Each one of them made me intensely happy. Just look!



Some life changing things that happened at EFY:

ALL of my questions were answered. I am going to be home schooled next school year (SURPRISE!). I feel like I have a Heavenly Father who has a plan for me. I know my purpose in life. I met some incredible people that made me a better person. I'm going to do everything I can to be a good person.

Who knew one week could affect a lifetime!

1 comment:

  1. I am so glad you had such a good time. I know That I have asked those very questions at many points in my life, and occasionally still do. The most wonderful thing is that they are always answered. There have also been certain experiences in my life that remind me of just how well Heavenly Father knows me. You should be proud of yourself laney for making such big decisions.

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